John writes:

> Not at all. Whilst Neanderthal Mousterian existed in the area from
> Western Europe to Tesik Tash, the rest of the world was being
> colonised by good aold Hss. We have non Mousterian Hss in northern
> Australia dated 63,000 BCE. We need to be careful about applying

the

> names of European cultural assemblages to non-European locations.

Hello John. Perhaps what you are saying isn't correct. Let's
suppose that we agree with CLB and Neanderthal is really a robust
good ole Hss. And just suppose the climate is partly responsible for
Hss "bulking up" to Neanderthal proportions. This might be an
initial explanation for whomever we find living in the geographic
area defined by Western Europe and Tesik Tash. As far as who used
which tools, the logical answer is that an appropriate tool
was "knapped" to get the job done. Killing a mammoth took more ammo
power than a gracile arrow. Thus, the environment helps determine
the size and shape of Homo sapiens as well as his/her tool kit.

> Gerry wrote
> > So much for Mousterian; but hey, what happens when some noteworthy
> > paleoanthrolologist like C. Loring Brace eliminates Neanderthal

all

> > together and instead claims that they are simply robust Homo
> > sapiens.
>
> Loring is still not universally accepted on this matter.

No he isn't, but he should be.

Best wishes,
Gerry

> Regards
>
> John