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Pleistocene
coalition news
V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 5 S E P T E M B E R - O C T O B E R 2 0 1 1

Inside - Challenging the tenets of mainstream scientific agendas -

PAGE 2 SECOND ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

Mousterian struc-

INSIDE SPECIAL The Hueyatlaco

tures of La Ferrassie
Lutz Fiedler

PAGE 4
Valsequillo, Part 5 story by those who were there (cont.)
Virginia Steen-McIntyre
Page 4 begins our third installment on the largest archaeological cen-
PAGE 6 sorship effort in American history—an important site blocked by main-
stream science for over 40 years. In this installment, Steen-McIntyre—
Upholding the old after spending 30 years processing the Hueyatlaco data and fighting
dates for Calico
suppression—returns to Hueyatlaco with the aid of philanthropist Mar-
Jim Bischoff
shall Payn who produces an award-winning DVD. Also, hear how an
oceanographer and engineer dated Valsequillo using palaeomagnetism.
PAGE 8
Expansion of mod- Page 6: NEW TEST BY RENOWNED GEOCHEMIST CONFRIMS OLD DATE FOR CALICO
ern man Page 12: FIRST PROOFS OF PREHISTORIC LANGUAGE ARE CENSORED BY ACADEMIA
Jörn Greve and
Gerhard Neuhäuser

PAGE 11 The Mousterian structures of ized expression of traditionally

given and mentally stored pat-

Paleomagnetic age La Ferrassie terns (Ambrose 2001, Cassirer

1944, Wittgenstein 1984, Fied-
of Hueyatlaco ler 1999, 2002). If present,
Joe Liddicoat Peyrony's 1934 results revisited culture (language, signs, tech-
nique, social order etc.) needs
dence it leaves behind. All
PAGE 12 By Lutz Fiedler artifacts, be they stone tools,
some representation to sustain
individual and social identity.
Graphics of Bilzing- Ph.D, State archaeologist, wooden objects, fire places or
sleben series, Part 2 Hesse, Germany rock engravings, are the real- Almost 150 years after the
“Neanderthal man” was
John Feliks Over the past dec- discovered by Johann
ades American as Carl Fuhlrott and 100
PAGE 17 well as European years after finding the
scientists have pub- first skeleton in La Fer-
Valsequillo, Part 6
lished numerous ar- rassie (1908-09) it
Virginia Steen-McIntyre ticles about Nean- seems appropriate to
derthals and their discard the well known
PAGE 19 replacement by so- but scientifically untrue
called modern man. picture of early man as
Member news
It was stressed in a being without mental
VSM, Dullum, Lynch many papers that fi- capacity. In fact, for 70
nally, by Cro Magnon years the work per-
Avocational arch. time (c. 35,000 years formed by Denis Pey-
Figure stones ago), symbolic think- rony and his findings in
VSM/Johnson ing, language, decora- the Mousterian layer of
tion and “art” came La Ferrassie once more
PAGE 20 into existence. These Figs. 1. The undisturbed Neanderthal level at La Ferras- inspired the thinking
conclusions usually sie (Dordogne, France); Stars are burials. After D. Pey-
Avocational arch. about spirituality and
ignore the functions of rony 1934 and H. Delporte 1984. With one exception, the
Scanner photography groups of features including the rock-shelter wall suggest
culture and the evi- > Cont. on page 2
that a north-south, east-west orientation was followed.
VSM/O’Doherty
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 2

Mousterian structures (cont.)

conceptual abilities of early well preserved. The features tained the skeleton of a 3-
man (Peyrony 1934). To are located in a clearly discern- year-old child and was cov-
date there are able area with empty regions in ered by a plate of limestone
no scientific between. All groups of features with pairs of engraved cu-
publications to with one exception suggest that pules (Fig. 4). In the north
interpret these a north-south, east-west orien- from the mound group an-
impressive tation was followed, with the other burial of a young child
structures. This rock-shelter wall also in an was discovered by H. Del-
may be caused east-west direction (Fig. 1). porte and his team.
by not crediting
“non-utilitarian” In the westernmost part of If we assume that there are no
artifacts to the the rock-shelter, about 1.5 other yet-to-be-discovered
Neanderthals m from the wall, a woman holes or mounds within the
(see also R.H. and a man were buried, both Mousterian level, it can be
Gargett 1999 graves in line and oriented stated that none of these struc-
and his Pop- east-west (Peyrony 1934: tural elements overlap each
peristic as well 26). Five m to the east were other. This fact and the group-
as rigid nega- two parallel pits containing ing of the features with empty
tion of inten- the skeletal remains of one space in between suggest
Figs. 2. Interpretation of structures from tional burials). or two young children. some kind of intentional struc-
La Ferrassie. Within the covered middle pit turing of
of the far right complex, a child was buried However, the From this the rock-
(star). The entire complex has a shape remi- excavations structure shelter
niscent of female pictures from the Upper
published by H. to the area. The
Palaeolithic. Three of the complexes were south-east
grouped by the author (in black) to give a
Delporte (1984) orientation
exactly 50 years and again of the fea-
sense of structural shape to the features
later corrobo- 5 m apart tures ac-
as interconnected complex groups.
rated and ex- three cording to
panded the stratigraphic and ovoid the cardi-
holes
“The orienta- geomorphological interpreta-
(fosses)
nal direc-
tion of the tions of Peyrony. The excava- tions
tion performed by Peyrony were dis- speaks for
features ac- was careful and comprehen- covered, a common
cording to the sive, and his published obser- two ori- concept of
ented Figs. 4. Plate of limestone with pairs of
cardinal direc- vations are well-founded.
east-west, engraved cupules covering a pit contain-
arrange-
tions speaks Although his presentation is ing the skeleton of a 3-year-old child. ment.
short concerning words and and one
for a common figures, it is possible to get north- Other fea-
concept of ar- an impression of the com- south. The central part of the tures also show some kind of
rock-shelter contained nine intentional deliberation: there
rangement.” plexity of the rock-shelter
mounds (monticules) almost are separate burial areas for
and the room which was used
during 0.5 m high and with a diame- adults and children; there are
Mous- ter of 1 m (measures by Pey- groups of two features in the
terian rony 1934, figure 1). These west and three in the east;
time. mounds were grouped in there are groupings of
three parallel rows pointing mounds as well as groupings
It is impor- north, the middle row stag- of pits. Also the rock-shelter
tant to note gered and somewhat dislo- had been used both as a living
that cryo- cated from the outer ones. place for people and as a bur-
turbation The shape of the arrangement ial place for the dead. The
changes can be described as rectangu- two poles of life are seen to-
were only lar, measuring 3 x 6 m. Under gether as an unity.
present in the most northern mound of
the Chatel- the middle row the burial of a Within the covered middle
perronien newborn baby was found. pit in a structure complex
layers from the east of the area, a
above the To the east, 2-3 m distant child was buried. The entire
Mousterian from the mound group, six complex has a shape which
Figs. 3. Inset shows two Upper Palaeolithic engrav- and not in ca 1m-long oval pits reminds one of female pic-
ings regarded as female representations to compare
the almost (cuvettes) were detected. tures from the Upper Palaeo-
with the far right complex where a child was buried Only the southwest one did lithic (Figs. 2 and 3), and
next to a slab with picked cupules (6 and star). 0.6 m-thick
layers be- not follow a north-south or possibly has an anthropo-
low with their pits and mounds; east-west orientation. The
therefore, these are relatively largest east-west pit con- > Cont. on page 3

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 3

Mousterian structures (cont.)

“This additive
and summariz-
ing way of
presentation is
similar to the
drawings of
children aged
Figs. 5. Middle Upper
Palaeolithic from Pred-
mosti, Czech Republic,
engraving on mammoth
ivory (Gravettian age) of
a female figure, showing
a similar summarizing
principle or schematic
thinking as suggested
was used in the Nean-
derthal burials; After
Absalon and Klima 1977.
four to ten
years. Their pic-
tures show parts
of the body
composed as
anthropomor-
phic figures
without any in-
tention to follow
natural or ana-
tomical detail.”
morphic configuration, rep-
resenting a woman lying on
her side with flexed legs.
The pit in the suggested
abdominal/womb region
contains the child’s grave. If
this were true, it could be
seen as a symbol for the
duality of birth and death.
Consider the pit complex as
an anthropomorphic configu-
ration. It is directed towards
the group of mounds. If we
regard these mounds as a
composite picture of a male,
put together like a snow-
man, the upper mound
would represent the head,
the others body and ex-
tremities (the lower mound
in the middle would be
analogous to the female or-
gan of fertility, the penis.)
If we suppose that an anthro-
pomorphic interpretation of
the above features is correct,
then the Neanderthals from La
Ferrassie, may have had an-
other counterpart with male
and female features. The
holes trenched into the ground
could represent the earth-
bound being giving life and
protection, whereas the rising
mounds would speak for the
active, space-occupying male.
Incorporating the two chil-
dren's burials may also speak
for a specific picture of the
world in which apparently
contradictions (life and death)
can be seen as unity.
Of course, these interpreta-
tions are speculative and can
be questioned. But from the
middle Upper Palaeolithic,
from Predmosti, Czech Re-
public, there is the engraving
of a female figure, composed
by a similar summarizing
principle or schematic think-
ing, using ovals and triangles
(Fig. 5). This additive and
summarizing way of presen-
tation is similar to the draw-
ings of children aged four to
ten years. Their pictures
show parts of the body com-
posed as anthropomorphic
figures without any intention
to follow natural or anatomi-
cal detail; figures of men
summarized and “right” only
because the most important
parts of the body are ar-
ranged in an almost suitable
way. Similar compositions
can be found in European
folk art, and as a clear con-
cept in pictures or arrange-
ments from contemporary
art. If men or animals are
given in naïve pictures this
does not mean that their
creators have only childish
ways of thinking; it means
that the Gravettien people or
the Neanderthals from La
Ferrassie used concepts for
showing and demonstrating
human beings which are fa-
miliar to us from our culture.
The double structure from La
Ferrassie, if the interpretation
holds true, is not the descrip-
tion of an optical impression
of men but a synthetic com-
position, which additively
reflects human organs by
points and arranges them in
an almost topographical
manner. They could be seen
as an early expression of
reflecting the human self
(Peyrony 1934). The two
burials of children incorpo-
rated within them stand for
the womb and the head.
Conclusion
If we regard only the concep-
tual arrangement of the
rock-shelter from La Ferras-
sie—not to speak of the an-
thropomorphic interpretation
given here—it can be seen as
an early expression of “art.”
But what we call art is just a
consequence of classifica-
tion: the products of a piano
player, a porcelain painter,
an actor and a landscape
architect are so different in
regard to function and effect.
For our understanding of the
species Homo and his behav-
ior it is important to under-
stand his methods of doing
things and his identity. Tech-
niques, social order and ways
of communication, as well as
things produced have been
continuously realized, pre-
sented and anticipated. Arti-
facts in the strict sense of
the word are products and
are simply concepts set in
physical reality. If we only
use narrative concepts of art,
the academic discussions
about the cultural change
that occurred about 45,000
years ago will be incomplete.
References
Absalon, K., and B. Klima. 1977. Pred-
mosti. Ein Mammutjägerplatz in Mähren.
Fontes Archaeol. Moraviae VIII. Praha
Ambrose, S.H. 2001. Palaeolithic Tech-
nology and Human Evolution. Science
291: 1748-53
Bergounioux, F.M. 1958. Spiritualité d
l’Homme de Neandertal. In: G.H.R. von
Koenigswald (Hrsg.), Hundert Jahre
Neanderthaler, Neanderthal Cetenary
1856-1956. Beihefte der Bonner Jahr-
bücher 7, Köln-Graz (pp.151-166)
Cassirier, E. 1944. Versuch über den
Menschen. Einführung in eine Phänome-
nologie der Kultur. Aus dem Engl. übers.
Von R.Kaiser, Hamburg 1956
Delporte H. (ed.) 1984. Le grand abri de
La Ferrassie. Fouilles 1968-1973. Etudes
Quaternaires 7. Paris
Fiedler, L. and J. Greve. 1998. Was bedeu-
tet Prähistorische Kunst? Archäologische
Informationen 21 (2) 273-77
Fiedler, L. 2002. Vom Bild im Kopf zur
Darstellung. In: L. Fiedler und A. Müller-
Karpe (Hrsg.), Marburger Beiträge zur
Prähistorischen Archäologie Nordafrikas.
Kleine Schriften aus dem Vorgeschicht-
lichen Seminar Marburg 52: 9-21
Gargett, R.H. 1999. Middle Plaeolithic
burial is not dead issue: the view from
Qafzehz, Saint-Césaire, Kebara, Amud,
and Dederiyeh. Journal of Human Evolu-
tion 37: 27-90
Peyrony, D. 1934. La Ferrassie.
Moustérien, Périgordien, Aurignacien.
Préhistoire III, 1-92.
Weinert, H. 1930. Menschen der Vorzeit.
Stuttgart.
(This article is based on an oral presen-
tation at the Hugo Obermaier meeting
2006 in Cologne. It is also related to the
article by Greve & Neuhäuser on p. 8.)
Address
Prof. Dr. Lutz Fiedler
Freiherr-vom-Stein-Strasse 10
D-35083 Ebsdorfergrund
Germany
LUTZ FIEDLER is the discoverer of
the Tan Tan figurine from Mo-
rocco commonly known as the
“Venus of Tan Tan,” and dated at
200,000-400,000 years old. The
artifact, found in context with
Acheulian handaxes. State Ar-
chaeologist, Hesse, Germany.

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 4

Hueyatlaco/Valsequillo saga, Part 5

By Virginia Steen-McIntyre
Ph.D, Tephrochronologist (Volcanic ash specialist)

1997 and back to was asked to provide a lot Hueyatlaco trench profiles,
Hueyatlaco of data "blind," and to but when it was opened,
make a July trip down to there was only packing
Marshall Payn has an Portales, New Mexico to material. No sign of her
engineering degree from copy Cynthia Irwin- field notebooks, either. No
MIT and an insatiable Williams' Valsequillo files, sign of the thousands of
curiosity. He would have supposedly in storage photos and slides that we
“Dave and I been a friend of Charles there. knew she took to document
managed Fort. Marshall proceedings. No sign of her
it, only wanted to see New Mexico in July, espe- artifact casts.
more age cially in a non-air-
to dis- dates for the conditioned storage shed, I noticed that her Valse-
cover Hueyatlaco is not the most pleasant quillo files were somewhat
that the site using place to be, but husband in disarray, as if they had
bulk of modern dating Dave and I managed it, been gone through before.
methods, and only to discover that the When questioned closely,
the Val- offered George Agogino,
sequillo to pay her executor men-
data had for tioned something
disap- them. about a couple of
men from the
peared! So in Smithsonian visit-
1997 it ing before I came
… When was back to Hueyat- (Smithsonian offi-
questioned laco for me once cials deny this.)
closely, again, to clean up
tephra outcrops with We were left with
[Irwin- the help of two the dregs. I copied
William’s] ex- young women assis- what was there,
ecutor men- tants so that scien- over 1000 items,
tioned some- tists from Mexico two copies each,
City could sample one for the Payn
thing about a them (Fig. 1). Both group and one for
couple of men Marshall and I me. We could still
from the thought it best if I piece together a
Smithsonian never once handled good story, but it
those samples! would take a LOT
visiting before more time and
I came The necessary mate- effort. Nothing new
(Smithsonian rials were collected about that for the
and brought to Mex- Valsequillo Saga!
officials deny ico City to begin
this.)” their journey to I still have hopes
high-tech research that the Irwin-
labs in California and Williams Valse-
beyond. quillo materials will
Fig. 1. Group sampling volcanic ash at Hueyatlaco,
1997. Top: Mexican scientist Dra. Ana Lillian Martin, eventually come to
Marshall also had a
Bottom: Others on the sampling team. I oversaw the light. Mulling over
hush-hush project the vanished data,
operation; but as pre-planned with Marshall Payn,
planned; the produc- did not handle any of the samples. I think I see what
tion of a film similar happened. Cynthia
to The Mystery of bulk of the Valsequillo data apparently had harbored
the Sphinx for the Hueyat- had disappeared! very bitter feelings toward
laco site, but with none of me because of our old
the "mystery" and lots of There was a cardboard box
sealed with mover's tape dates for Hueyatlaco and El
cold, hard scientific facts. I
and marked to contain > Cont. on page 5

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 5

Hueyatlaco/Valsequillo saga, Part 5 (cont.)

Horno. Marie Wormington, Results for the tephra sam- Diatomist Sam VanLanding-
her mentor and friend, ples sent away to the high- ham made contact with me.
once mentioned to me at a tech labs in 1997 for dating He had heard of the Valse-
cocktail party that I had came back. Essentially as quillo sites through the
"ruined Cynthia's reputa- old as we had found, or Cremo and Thompson
tion." There was no way older! The manuscript was book, Forbidden Archeol-
she would ogy.
have Would I
wanted have any
me to sediment
have ac- samples
cess to from the
her field archaeo-
“Cynthia ap- records. logical
parently had Her close sites that
friends he could
harbored probably examine
very bitter agreed! for dia-
feelings to- toms?
ward me be- How I
1998- blessed
cause of our the fore-
2000
old dates for Steady sight that
Hueyatlaco progress caused
and El me to
Much of take
Horno. Marie the next small
Wormington, couple of samples
her mentor years was of the
spent sediment
and friend, supplying layers
once men- data for from
tioned to me the Payn which
at a cocktail group. artifacts
party that I had been
Marshall
extracted
had "ruined told me
back in
Cynthia's others in
my suit-
the film
reputation." would
case in
1973! I
prove my
could
case for
supply
the old
him test
dates; all
samples
I had to
with
do was
ease!
provide
the infor- What
mation happened
Fig. 2. First page of the paper by Donelick, Farley, and Dimitru detailing the
and pho- dating results of the tephra samples sent to high-tech labs in 1997. Ready to the
tos that for publication in 1998, over a decade later it has yet to see print. Over- strati-
they view: Two zircon fission-track ages c. 212,000-250,000 years old; Two zir- graphic
needed. con (U-Th)/He isotopic ages c. 406,000-505,000 years old. monoliths
Appar- and sam-
ently he had lined up a well ples taken from the trench
in final form and ready to
known director and inter-
send out for review (Fig. 2). walls at Hueyatlaco in
views with some highly 1973? They, along with all
But...! Problems. Over a
placed honchos in the early the Malde bagged geologic
decade later it has yet to
man field.
see print.
> Cont. on page 15

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE
UPHOLDING THE 200,000-YEAR OLD DATES FOR CALICO
Jim Bischoff responds to challenge of his original findings
Ph.D, Geochemist, USGS
Introduction
Since its discovery by
Louis Leakey in the
1960s, the ages for the
depos-
its at
the
“It is Calico
Early
not a Man
rock Site,
as located
you just off
I15
as- near
sert. Barstow,
It Califor-
was nia
(Fig. 1),
a have been the subject of
flaked arti- controversy. While the
fact taken site’s first three directors
from with- including Leakey all held to
ages of 50KBP for the upper
in context.” layers and 200KBP for the
lower layers, of late there is
a move afoot to assert a
date for the entire site to
approximately 45 to 50KBP.
The problem with this
younger age is the existence
of a number of published
test results that yielded
ages more in line with the
earlier directors’ thoughts.
These must be discredited if
the supposed new younger
Fig. 1. Location of
age is to be believed.
Calico Early Man
Site near Barstow, The challenges have taken
California.
the form of a postulated hot
springs that percolated up
through the deposits throw-
ing off all dates, or an-
other—the entire site is just
the product of a massive
slide about forty-five thou-
sand years ago that re-
deposited surface artifacts
at depths up to thirty feet.
The list goes on.
PLEISTOCENE COALITION
6
Geochemist Jim Bischoff on simply not true and that I
one side of the controversy, cannot let pass unchal-
has recently sent the PCN lenged.
newsletter (with permission
to print) a copy of an e-mail Firstly, I dated a
he sent last January to ge- "secondary" calcite coating
ologist, Ren Lallatin, on the on an artifact taken within
other side, regarding her the basal layer of the de-
criticism of his dates. Jim posit. It is not a rock as you
assert. It was a flaked arti-
has not received a reply
fact taken from within con-
from her. We offer the letter
text. And "secondary"
without comment, except to
note that whoever is right, means that the coating
the site is over four times to formed on the artifact within
the fan after deposition of
as much as seventeen times
the artifact. This calcite
older than Clovis, and speaks
formed as a result of post-
to a very early arrival of
humans in the Americas. depositional ground-water
flow along the base of the
fan. I observed several
On February 22, 2011, other examples of this coat-
Jim Bischoff wrote: ing at the same general
To: rensys- level as the dated sample.
tems4@yahoo.com I examined the field rela-
tions carefully and am con-
From: Jim Bischoff vinced of this interpretation
<jbischoff@usgs.gov> of the context. Thus, the
calcite is
Subject: younger
Correct- than the
ing the emplace-
Calico ment of
record the fan!
The coat-
Cc:
ing is
Hello delicate
Ren: and
would not
I must
have
respond
Fig. 1. Object tested by the author using ura- survived
to your
nium-thorium dating (U-Th). Calico Photo #803, any
recent
courtesy of Fred Budinger Jr. Editor’s Note: The transport
postings
object came from Calico R-19 with other artifacts had it
on the at a depth of 199 inches or nearly 17 feet.
formed
geology
For more details see: prior to
and
Bischoff, J.L., R.J. Shlemon, T.L. Ku, R.D. Simpson, deposi-
dating R.J. Rosenbauer, and F.E. Budinger. 1981. Uranium-
tion of
of the series and soil-geomorphic dating of the Calico
archaeological site, California. Geology 9: 576-582. the
Yermo
clasts.
gravels.
The carbonate is demonstra-
You state my dating is con-
bly not a pedogenic caliche
troversial, and you make
some assertions that are > Cont. on page 7
NEWS
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 7

Upholding the old dates for Calico (cont.)

formed prior to deposition, emplacement just doesn't fluid diagenetic studies. Bischoff
“I take as you assert. I don't under- seem enough time for such managed the USGS participation
great care in stand your statement about tectonic modifica-
determining how a modern pocket knife tions to have taken
the context of could be dropped into the place, nor for the
ancient mudflow. Do you degree of internal
samples that I mean to imply that I salted weathering of the
select in the the artifact? clasts.

And the U- Sincerely,

Fig. 2. Photo 800; courtesy of Fred Budinger. amounts of
field. There is
simply too much
labor involved
in obtaining a
good U-series
date to ignore
questions about
how the date
relates to the age
of associated
artifacts or
bones.”
“I recently
repeated the U-
series analysis on a
smaller purer sub
sample of the
calcite rind, using
the latest ICP-mass
spec technology.
The resulting date
is amazing close to
the earlier alpha
spec value on the
bulk sample of ca
205 kyrs.”
Jim Bischoff
Geochemist emeritus
USGS
series results
are robust.
They date
the time of
precipitation
of the calcite,
not the age
of the ground
water as you
state. Solu-
ble trace
uranium in
the ground water are co-
precipitated with the calcite
at the time of precipitation.
The daughter isotope of Th
is insoluble in ground water,
thus the U/Th clock is reset
to zero at the time of pre-
cipitation. Therefore, your
assertion that the results date
only the uranium-rich ground
waters is not correct.
I have had much experience
in dating secondary and
primary calcites in archeo-
logical sites, mostly in Spain
in deposits of even greater
age than Calico. Let me as-
sure you that I take great
care in determining the con-
text of samples that I select
in the field. There is simply
too much labor involved in
obtaining a good U-series
date to ignore questions
about how the date relates
to the age of associated
artifacts or bones.
Regarding the geology of
the fan, it is tightly folded
into an anticline and syn-
cline with some significant
offsets along faults that cut
the fan. Your assertion of
45,000 yrs for the age of
Jim Bischoff
James L. Bischoff,
Geologist Emeritus
U.S. Geological Sur- Fig. 3. Photo 796; courtesy of Fred Budinger.
vey ms/470
345 Middlefield Rd.
Menlo Park, CA 94025
https://profile.usgs.gov/jbischoff
On July 22, 2011, Jim
Bischoff wrote to VSM:
Hello Ginger:
Here is the website with
Ren's heresy to which my
email was directed: http://
www.meetup.com/Friends-
of-Calico-Early-Man-Site/
messages/boards/
thread/8901492/.
I recently repeated the U-
series analysis on a smaller
purer sub sample of the
calcite rind, using the latest
ICP-mass spec technology.
The resulting date is amaz-
ing close to the earlier alpha
spec value on the bulk sam-
ple of ca 205 kyrs....
J IM B ISCHOFF is Geochemist
emeritus, USGS. During his
distinguished career of over 40
years he has specialized in the
geochemistry of marine and lake
sediments, seafloor geothermal
systems, hydrothermal ore de-
posits, and climate change. He
has made contributions in car-
bonate diagenesis, lunar geo-
chemistry, pore-water chemis-
try, the Red Sea geothermal
system, and the plate tectonics
of the Gulf of California. His
experimental work with the
“temperature of squeezing ef-
fect” is now the basis for all pore
in the DOMES program (Deep
Ocean Mining Environmental
Study) in the equatorial Pacific
and organized several oceano-
graphic expeditions to the SE
Pacific. His work with the proc-
ess of seawater-basalt interac-
tion became widely recognized
as a major new part of the geo-
chemical cycle. Later work led to
the prediction of massive sulfide
deposits at seafloor discharge
sites of heated seawater and
eventual discovery of the famous
black smokers and massive
sulfides by an expedition using
the research submersible Alvin.
Bischoff was the first American
to participate on a Soviet
oceanographic expedition and
was twice Special Guest of the
Soviet Academy of Sciences.
He was awarded the Gold-
schmidt Medal of the Geochemi-
cal Society in 1999. He is a Pro-
fesseur Associe Honoraire of the
Museum d'Histoire Naturelle,
Paris and invited Distinguished
Researcher at the Instituto de
Geología, Barcelona, Spain,
where he assisted Spanish col-
leagues in establishing a U-
series dating laboratory.
In parallel with his marine work,
Bischoff has pursued studies of
paleoclimate and human evolu-
tion by U-series isotopes as well
as developing new dating tech-
niques. His study of rock shel-
ters in northern Spain showed
that the Neanderthals had been
abruptly replaced by modern
humans 40,000 years ago.

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 8

Which factors could have caused the expansion

of Modern Man—impact, hazard or transition?

By Jörn Greve Note: This article is associated with the

article by Lutz Fiedler on page 1.
severe impact or is all due to Some time later Modern Man
slow transformation between produced tools called “Point
and Gerhard 40,000 and 36,000 years ago, de la Gravette” (Fig. 2). Tiny
Abstract: During accompanied by vanishing bladelettes were handled as
Neuhäuser Aurignacian times 40,000 Mousterian (Neanderthal) tech- microliths (small stone tools
years ago some kind of niques and appearance of ivory typically averaging a centi-
impulse promoted the Venuses as well as new tools? meter or so in length). This
spread of Modern Man, could also suggest the pres-
“This could Most astonishing is the disap- ence of spear throwers. If
probably out of Asia and pearance of Acheulian (c.
also suggest all across Europe, displac- tiny objects are put together
1.76 million—100,000 years
the presence ing Neanderthals. Potential as composite weapons, hunt-
ago) or Mousterian age (c. ing changes dramatically.
of spear causes range 300,000—30,000 years ago)
from isolation Neanderthals in small groups
throwers. hand axes. Their marvellous went eye to eye with the
(Aiello) to pro- shapes (Fiedler 2010) are
If tiny ob- gression (Kuhn- animals they hunted, Modern
never found in Gravettian
jects are Stiner) or suc- Man no longer needed to.
age sediments (28,000- Technical changes resulted in
put to- cessive breeding 22,000 years ago). These
(Greene). If new patterns of social behav-
gether as former tools are replaced by ior creating various demands
migration was rough, handily formed pieces
composite the result of for work within and outside
of silex (flint). Changes in
weapons, changes to shape and symmetry signal
the camp and resulting in
hunting “Werte-Welt” variably organized population
alterations in lifestyle, the groups.
changes and living condi- beginning of industrial pro-
tions as a duction and trade. It reveals Breakdown of specific fu-
dramati- whole, this could distinct differences between neral rites?
cally. Ne- lead to expan- Neanderthals and Modern
anderthals sion of Kuhn- Man. The technological ad- Cultural changes can be de-
in small Stiner’s thesis. vantage of spear throwers tected also by differences in
This could be and composite tools could intentional funeral rites. De-
groups put to the test nise Henry-Gambier, a well-
have led to some sort of mass
went eye by critical analy- known archaeologist, also
slaughter. An archaeological
to eye sis of archaeo- find of some sort of relic considered anthropological
Fig. 1. The Gravettian aspects, but her thesis, that
with the logical findings. might add to the “isolation”
age, “Venus of Dolní
arguments of Aiello. there exists no difference
animals Věstonice” is representa- 1.Did the arri-
between funerals of Middle
tive of all these younger
they Palaeolithic sites most of
val of Homo 2. Other facts and tech- and Upper Palaeolithic, has to
sapiens cause
hunted, which are associated with niques responsible for the be questioned.
findings of “Venus” fig- the numbers rapid spread of Modern Man
Modern ures such as this. of Neander- During Mousterian we find
Man no thals to dimin- The relatively short time it single funerals with human
longer needed ish, lead to their retreat, or took Modern Man to spread ossuary relics. These are
result in an intermingling all over Europe is astonish- often put down carefully with
to.” ing. An enormous area was heads lifted in a special shel-
of the species?
occupied from Central Asia to ter (for instance, Neander
The arrival of Modern Man France within at most 4000 Valley, Germany; Trinkaus
using better ways of com- years (statistics by D. Henry- and Shipman 1993). On the
munication such as art could Gambier 2008). This spread other hand, relics are gath-
be interpreted as progress is associated with findings of ered and intentionally thrown
even though it reveals its “Venus” figures (Fig. 1) and in a pit, as in Atapuerca,
own relativity (Fiedler 2010). can be explained by a rapid Spain (“fuente de los muer-
Signs of “modernity” are spread of tool tradition and tos”; 1.8 mya, Aguirre 2008)
related to the decline of Ne- “art.” (However, carefully or at other places (Ullrich
anderthals. When archaeo- perforated teeth of special 2008). Some findings cer-
logical findings and anthro- animals already produced in tainly indicate that secondary
pological contexts are con- Aurignacian times, c. 45,000- funeral rites were practiced
sidered, which explanation 35,000 years ago, may have
seems most plausible? Is been made by Neanderthals.) > Cont. on page 9
there indication of some

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 9

The expansion of modern man (cont.)

in Middle Palaeolithic. Nean- 3. Differences suggestive of
derthals respected their hon- a sudden event or of slow
ored dead by placing them in cultural transformation
certain positions and special
shelters following the primary Another change after 38,000
BP not found in the Middle
“Neanderthals funeral.
Palaeolithic is the arrange-
respected On the other hand, there is ment of possibly permanent
their not a settlements and their
hon- single enlargement. Lodgings have
secon- a size of up to 40 sq m, many
ored
dary aggregated to one village
dead funeral without any sign of social
by during hierarchy. This means that
plac- the groups are enlarged to more
Grav- than 42 persons in compari-
ing
ettian. son to Neanderthals. This
them Dead represents a marked differ-
in cer- bodies ence in the socio-economic
tain Fig. 2. Two examples of “Point de la Grav-
are life-world. Neanderthals split
spread, their groups if there was not
posi- ette” Gravettian age micro blade tools.
‘Microliths’ are small stone tools that typi- if not enough game; Homo sapiens
tions cally measure a centimeter or so in length scat- would stick together.
and and half a centimeter wide. They are usu- tered,
special ally made of flint or chert. around What is the meaning of Ve-
settle- nus figure icons and elabo-
shel-
ments without any sign of rate decoration? What does a
ters following respect; perhaps the frozen complex sign system mean
the primary ground was a reason. used by Gravettian people?
funeral. There are only one or two
Why do Neanderthals or
Homo erectus at Bilzingsle-
outstanding exceptions, one
On the other ben only use symmetric
found in Sungir, Russia, with scratches even though they
hand, there is decorated shoulder blades of
are already able to produce
not a single mammoths. Dead members flutes (e.g., the debated Divje
secondary fu- of the community seem to Babe flute from Slovenia, c.
have been treated with ne-
neral during 43,000 BP; See also Feliks,
glect. However, this might be PCN Nov-Dec 2010: 10)
the Gravet- questionable, because only
before Modern Man did the
tian.” some 70 dead persons are same at Geissenklösterle.
known to have been buried
intentionally during the Grav- Neandertalian “couples” as in
ettian compared to about 400 Ferrassie, Sergeac (see map,
Neanderthal burial sites. Greve and Neuhäuser PCN
March-April 2011: 8) or else-
These findings need explana- where are indicative of
tion as do as well the many memorization of events by a
funeral gifts, even if Henry- ‘polymodal’ code. More com-
Gambier strictly rejects social plex symbol systems, on the
hierarchy. Gravettian bodies other hand, condense time.
are sometimes accompanied Primarily there doesn’t seem
by perforated animal teeth, to be a great difference be-
ivory figures or shells and
tween simple or more elabo-
mostly a high amount of rate systems, but the aspect
ochre (golden-yellow, yellow-
of ‘time’ as a personal attrib-
brown, or red clay used for ute is necessary for specifica-
pigment). This is done with-
tion. Time is abbreviated as
out any sign of regularity and well as extended into future
ritual intention (Sungir being
using different ornaments. On
an exception). the contrary, polymodal
codes preserve and fix pres-
ence as condensed eternity
and unity of a divine whole.
Adjustment to the present
might be characteristic of
Modern Men, explaining their
spread by cultural and com-
municative strategies. It
could explain why children
were scarcely buried inten-
tionally and less signs of the
handicapped being cared for
(s. Henry-Gambier).
All these arguments seem to
flow in one direction (Table 1).
How people looked at life
changed with the spread of
Modern Men. In the Middle
Palaeolithic of the Neander-
thals, life and death were
respected as a unity (Fiedler,
this issue, pp. 1-3). How-
ever, the trend since Gravet-
tian times has been to sepa-
rate these two which has led
us to where many of our
Western cultures are today.
As far as what will happen
next, only time will tell.
Table
4. CONCLUSION
No facts prove any “emergence”
of Modern Men. Spreading all
over Europe during the Gravet-
tian was probably caused by a
complex series of impact factors.
Changing tools signal another
way of hunting, probably the use
of composite weapons and
propulsors. There are signs of
cultural transformation result-
ing in morphological changes
and affecting the appearance
of Neanderthals by “social
selection” (Roughgarden
2009), enforced by epigenetic
factors (Stotz 2002).
The most exciting fact be-
sides the loss of a more
“sensory and polytheistic”
view (omnipresence of hand
axes since the Acheulian) is
the (archaeological) loss of
buried bodies during the
Gravettian. It could indicate
> Cont. on page 10

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 10

The expansion of modern man (cont.)

the neglect of caring for rela-
“Primarily tives and well-known people.
there doesn’t All these facts can be proven
seem to be a by archaeological findings,
Delpech, F., Texier, J.-P. 2007. Ap-
proche stratigraphique de temps grav-
ettiens: l´éclairage aquitaine. Paléo
19: 15-30.
Fiedler, L. (Hrsg.). 2010. Lexikon der
Gravettien de Kostienki et des terri-
toires associés. Paléo 19: 181-202.
Teyssandier, N. 2007. L´ermergence
du Paléolithique supérieur en Europe:
Mutations culturelles et rythmes

Morphological or -N- - CR -
anatomical contribution (Neandertals, Homo erectus) (Cro-Magnon, Homo sapiens)

TECHNOLOGY (leading fossils) Handaxe Point à la Gravette, microliths (Fig. 2)

Seasonal changing, small, in “abris” Relatively “steady,” enlarged in shel-

SETTLEMENT
or shelters (migration) ters or plain sight (east)

Small, relatively constant about 30 Enlarged, about 45 persons

SIZE OF GROUP
persons (filiation) (aggregation)

Secondary, collectively and Primary, “scattered” sometimes single

FUNERAL RITES
(honored?) primary, singular burials or groups, “loss” of burials

Simple signs (wholes, “couples,” Complex signs arranged in symbolic sys-

SYMBOL SYSTEM
scratches) arrangements of burials tems, figures, ochre, gifts for some burials

CARE AND CLOSENESS Relatively high No certain proof for care

BIRTH RISK, EARLY CHILDHOOD DEATH Probably high High, but not proved

Table 1. Differences between Neanderthals and Cro-Magnon people (N, CR) representing causes of impact or demonstrating order of con-
trol and transformation, rejecting “emergence” of modern man in Europe. Morphological analysis assessing states of symbolic elaboration.

great differ- but there is no evidence for a Altsteinzeit. Darmstadt. d´evolution. Paléo 19: 367-90.

ence be- striking impact or for some
steady flow leading towards
tween simple transition. However, these
or more facts can tell us a lot about
Fiedler, L. 2010. At the core of lan-
guage and culture. Pleistocene Coali-
tion News 2(3): 6-8.
Fiedler, L. 2011. The Mousterian struc-
Trinkaus, E. (ed.), 1990. The Emer-
gence of Modern Humans: Biocultural
Adaptations in the Later Pleistocene.
Cambridge.

elaborate what should be studied or tures of La Ferrassie. Pleistocene Coali-

systems, but what would be of help in our
future: To retain the unity of
the aspect of life and earth, as in former
‘time’ as a small communities, will also
tion News 3(5): 1-3.
Trinkaus, E., Howells, W.W. 1979. The
Neanderthals. Scientific American 241
(6): 94-105.
Greve, J. 2009. Das sozial-ökologische
Dilemma (Basics of Anthropology of Trinkaus, E., Shipman, P. 1993. Die
Rehabilitation). Frankfurt-Hamburg-
New York.
Neandertaler. München.

personal at- save nature as “good” and the

tribute is basis of life. Neighborhood
and solidarity are necessary
necessary because each one may be the
for specifica- next to need assistance.
tion.” “Inclusion” is not only a signal
from the UN-Convention for
the Rights of Handicapped
People (2006) but a neces-
sity to survive as a species.
References
Aguirre, E. (ed.). 1999. Atapuerca –
nuestros antecesores. Junta de Castilla
y León. Salamanca.
Henry-Gambier, D. 2008. Comporte-
Ullrich, H. 2006. Krapina - A mortuary
practice site with cannibalistic rites.
ment des populations d´ Europe au Periodicum Biologorum 108(4): 503-17.
Gravettien: pratiques funéraires et
interprétations. Paléo 20: 399-438.
Krause E.-B. (with contributions of G. JÖRN GREVE, PD, MD, is a neurolo-
and H. Bosinski). 2004. Les Hommes
gist at IQPR, Cologne, Germany,
de Néandertal. Paris, Ed. Errance (esp.
pp. 74-75). and Lecturer, University of Bremen.
Roughgarden, J. 2009. Social Selec- GERHARD NEUHÄUSER is former
tion. Stanford.
Professor of Neurology and Pedi-
Sovoda, J. A. 2007. The Gravettien on atrics at Justus-Liebig-University
the Middle Danube. Paléo 19: 203-20.
in Giessen, Germany, where he
Stotz, K. 2006. With ‘genes’ like that, was Head of Child Neurology and
who needs an environment? Submitted
to Philosophy of Science 73: 905-17. Social Pediatrics (1978—2001).
Synitsyn, A. A. 2007. Variabilité du

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 11

Paleomagnetic age determinations at Hueyatlaco

By Joe Liddicoat, Ph.D, University of California, Santa Cruz
The 1970s brought another physical Union in Acapulco, I Geofisica Internacional 20(3):
method to the attempt to sampled the Hueyatlaco ash 249-62.
date the sediment and for thermal demagnetization JOE LIDDICOAT, Ph.D, Earth Sci-
tephra at Valsequillo. Rob measurements, and ence, is a full-time faculty mem-
Coe and I at the University Feinberg collected samples ber in the Department of Envi-
of California, Santa Cruz, for a mineralogical study of ronmental Science at Columbia
“The sam- and Wayne Lambert who the ash. The paleomagnetic University’s Barnard College. He
was at the Departamento de and thermal demagnetization teaches part-time at other insti-
ples, 12 each tutions including
Prehistoria of INAH in Mexico measurements
of lacustrine City and later at the USGS in were done in
New York Univer-
sity (astronomy
clay and the Denver, Colorado, were the Paleomag- and chemistry).
Hueyatlaco studying the magnetic polar- netism Labora- Liddicoat is also
ity and gradual change of tory at the Uni- Visiting Research
ash, were Scientist at the
Earth’s past magnetic field versity of Cali-
analyzed in (secular variation) at the fornia, Santa American Mu-
the Paleo- Tlapacoya archeological lo- Cruz, using a
seum of Natural
History and the
magnetism cality on the margin of Lake cryogenic mag- University of
Laboratory Chalco in the southeastern netometer. California, Santa
Basin of Mexico. Cruz where he
at Stanford Again it was does research on
University As part of that investigation, found that the the Earth’s past
and gave Hal Malde and Virginia Hueyatlaco ash magnetic field
Steen-McIntyre provided us records normal (the paleomag-
good group- with oriented samples from polarity, pre- netic record re-
ing of paleo- four horizons from renewed sumed to have corded in sedi-
ments) in Central
magnetic di- excavations at Valsequillo. been acquired America, Eastern
rections of in the Brunhes Asia and the
The samples, 12 each of Normal Chron Mediterranean as
normal po- lacustrine clay and the (Present to 0.78 well as on both
larity after Hueyatlaco ash, were ana- mya, Berggren coasts of the
lyzed in the Paleomagnetism United States. In
alternating Laboratory at Stanford Uni-
et al., 1995).
the early 1960’s,
field demag- versity and gave good References Liddicoat was
netization grouping of paleomagnetic Berggren, W.A.,
Chief Engineer on
directions of normal polarity a U.S. Navy de-
(Liddicoat D.V. Kent, C.C stroyer. Liddi-
after alternating field de- Swisher, and M.P.
et al., 1981).” magnetization (Liddicoat Aubry. 1995. A
coat’s primary
studies began
et al., 1981). revised Cenozoic nearly 40 years
geochronology ago with his
For those measurements, and chronostrati- research on the
the samples were in plastic graphy. In W.A. Pleistocene lake
boxes for insertion in a slow Berggren, D.V. deposits in the
spinner magnetometer and Kent, M.P. Aubry, U.S. Great Basin
and J. Hardenbol and Mexico in the
for the demagnetization in a (eds.), Geochro-
three-axis tumbler; because early 1970s.
nology, time Much of the re-
of the plastic boxes, the scales and global
Fig. 1. Geomagnetic polarity search involves
samples could not be heated stratigraphic the Mono Basin
during the late Cenozoic Era.
for thermal demagnetization correlations.
Society for Sedi- Dark areas are periods where in east-central
experiments. the polarity is the same as California to
mentary Geology document the
However, during a field trip Special Publication today's polarity; light areas
are periods where the polarity Mono Lake Ex-
to Valsequillo in May 2007 #54: 129-212. cursion and long-
is the opposite or reversed.
with Joshua Feinberg of the Liddicoat, J.C., R.S. 1964-66, USGS. term behavior of
University of Minnesota and Coe, P.W. Lambert, the paleomag-
Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales of H.E. Malde, and V. Steen- netic field during
the last approximately 40,000
the INAH Laboratorio de McIntyre. 1981. Paleomagnetic
investigation of Quaternary sedi- years. Liddicoat has nearly 50
Arqueozoología in Mexico peer-reviewed publications in
City, after the Spring Meet- ment at Tlapacoya, Mexico, and
at Valsequillo, Puebla, Mexico. books and scientific journals
ing of the American Geo- including Nature.

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 12

The graphics of Bilzingsleben series

Scientific misconduct over ancient artifact studies and why you should care

Part 2: Censoring the world’s oldest human language

By John Feliks

Q: Why is the “Mania & Mania have pub- tists who Homo
science community lished...a series of marked think sapiens
blocking proof bones from the German only in (“less-
of the oldest Acheulean site of Bilzingsle- evolu- able”
language? ben, claiming that the tionary ances-
markings were purpose- terms tors of
A: Because it ful... [I] find no greater believe our own
challenges evolu- patterning in these marks with species)
tionary thinking. than on the wooden cut- little or Homo
Readers are invited ting board in my kitchen.” reserve erectus,
to compare the that formerly
-Randall White, Anthropology,
original authoritative New York University, 1992: 545
human known
lan- Fig. 1. The two motifs of Artifacts 1 & 3 in as Pithe-
responses to the context with other syntactic variables. The fact
Bilzingsleben guage that these are ‘duplicated’ motifs was discovered
can-
engravings (in the Language is the most unique evolved by the author and submitted for publication in thropus
sidebars and text) aspect of what makes us hu- gradu- 2004, Musings on the Palaeolithic Fan Motif. This or the
man; and ally out is Slide #17 (of 112) presented at the XV UISPP “ape-
without of ani- Congress in Lisbon, Portugal, 2006, and Fig.5a of man.”
doubt, it is mal The Graphics of Bilzingsleben. Prior to its 5-year How-
the greatest commu- censorship by the science community—while it ever,
was circulated in peer review to researchers world-
difference nication famed
wide—theorists such as Bednarik, White, Davis,
between hu- systems Davidson, Chase, Noble, Dibble, Mithen, claimed linguist
man beings and that the engravings showed no deliberation beyond Noam
and animals. there simple patterning or ‘half-way-there’ mental states Chom-
In its most were comparable to those of apes; phosphene halluci- sky who
basic form neces- nations were also suggested. However, these two revolu-
language is a sary extremely sophisticated and linked motifs featuring tionized
Fig. 2. Conference Slide #19: Artifacts 1 & 2, Ob- precision angles (Figs. 4-6, 9-10) and Cartesian point
servation 1: These complex motifs are the same size. system of stages relationships (Figs. 7-10) would have been recognized
linguis-
organized signs of lan- as such were it not for evolutionary preconceptions. tics in
with the censored or symbols, audible or visi- guage the
geometric studies. By ble, such as spoken words or development between ape 1950s and 60s never believed
responding to proof written words which we use cries or gestures and modern that human language could
of any early language to communicate with each human have
with censorship (as other. With this single tool, the words. had any
recently occurred) the possibilities of poetry, art, Although half-
scientific community
mathematics, history, music, evolu- way-
is losing credibility
philosophy, even ideas of space tionary there
on the topic of
human origins.
and time open up to anyone linguists stage
who learns to use it. In written seldom but that
or graphic form language is even it ap-
“Certain bones from
even able to communicate mention peared
Bilzingsleben…have
scratches in groups of
across vast stretches of time who as a
parallel or radial lines. as if earlier people were in these fully-
These could be due to our very presence. middle devel-
butchery, especially as language oped
there are clear indications The origins of language is a speakers capacity.
of knawing.” problem that has puzzled might Even
Fig. 3. Conference Slide #18: Photographs of
philosophers and now scien- have though
- William Noble & Ian Artifact 1 side-fan and the fan of Artifact 3.
Davidson Psychology and tists for thousands of years been— evolu-
Anthropology, University of because it has no known link writing primarily in abstract tionary linguists believe that
New England, 1991: 245-6 to the natural world. Mod- terms and without recourse this is where Chomsky went
ern-day linguists (those who to artifacts—they certainly
study language) and scien- mean them to be either early > Cont. on page 13

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 13

“In my opinion, the

[Bilzingsleben] marks
should not be thought of
Censoring the oldest human language (cont.)
as anything more than
‘self-sufficient,’ to use a
term I once applied to
some chimpanzee wrong, Chomsky’s was, and still The problem this created for This is reason enough for even
scribbles.” is, the most scientific position as the mainstream science scholars of once high-integrity
there are no known existing or community is that it simulta- to participate in behind-the-
- Whitney Davis
Art History, Northwestern
historical ‘primitive’ languages. neously scenes
University, 1988: 103 They are all complex. Still, most showed block-
modern linguists have adhered that ades of
“By suggesting that the
to the evolutionary system ever there has the early
deliberate marks indicate
a faculty of abstract since the claims made in Dar- been no language
thought, the authors may win’s 1859 book, On the Ori- evolution hypothe-
in fact be trivializing their gin of Species, were accepted of lan- sis from
find. Its scientific as axioms. Chomsky himself, guage publica-
significance is perhaps influenced by peer pressure ability tion.
primarily that it does not to conform with the template, nor any
indicate, but foreshadow
adopted Eldredge and Gould’s other Ignoring
such a faculty.” evidence
theory of punctuated equilib- human
- Robert G. Bednarik rium though anyone familiar mental like this
Editor, RAR, IFRAO, 1988: 99
with the physi- ability did not
cal rather than for at Fig. 5. Slide #21 (of 112). Observation 3: The occur
the theoretical least motifs share identical ‘inner’ angles and vertices with the
demonstrated via protractor. Artifacts 1 & 3. discov-
evidence from 400,000
both paleon- years—a ery of
tology (fossils) claim which can readily be cuneiform or translation of
and palaeolin- extended back 1.4 to 2 mil- hieroglyphs via the Rosetta
guistics knows lion years (including evidence Stone as neither of those
that what this such as the incised bones from discoveries challenged a reli-
theory really Kozarnika Cave, Bulgaria; fire gious dogma. However, in the
says is that we use; etc.) or, in fact, to whatever biased modern science commu-
have no idea point in time we assign as the nity, one must contend with the
how anything first appearance of the genus dogged belief that every-
including lan- Homo. The prediction is that thing, including language,
Fig. 4. Slide #20 (of 112). Observation 2: The guage evolved. future evidence will show not evolved from lower forms.
motifs share identical outer angles and vertices The condi- Darwin’s gradation of mental Ironically, despite many
demonstrated via protractor. Artifacts 1 & 3. tional, “if it abilities but that there has months of behind-the-scenes
evolved at all” been no change in such abili- accolades from those pre-
“There are a few objects is of course, not permitted. ties and that everything inter- sent at the program and
that… bear markings that
preted as change in cognitive others with copies of the
some have considered Shooting-in-the-dark ap-
symbolic in nature, such ability is Thumb-
proaches to language origins actually
as marked bone scraps
are relied upon because it is nails
from… Bilzingsleben… related to hand-
However, some of these believed that language leaves culture.
no traces we can study directly. out—
may indeed have served
However, this is not true, as Since the includ-
practical functions such as
‘cutting boards’… Such demonstrated at the XV UISPP scientific ing lin-
‘motifs’ are not repeated Congress (International Union commu- guists,
often enough to be for Prehistoric and Protohistoric nity is psy-
recognized either as
Sciences) in Lisbon in 2006 in a commit- cholo-
intentional or as a style.” gists,
program called The Graphics of ted to
-Philip G. Chase Bilzingsleben. In this program the evo- engi-
Anthropology, University of
by means of easy-to-understand lutionary neers,
Pennsylvania, 1991: 210. etc.—
geometric studies was pre- paradigm
“Over the course of sented the first proofs of a as an act The
Fig. 6. Slide #22 (of 112). The motifs share
hundreds of thousands of Lower Palaeolithic language of of faith, many other identical angles. Artifacts 1 & 3. Graph-
years there are no two
Homo erectus 400,000 years any evi- NOTE: There are many more shared angles be- ics of
[Acheulean or Mousterian] sides those in Figs. 4-6, the only difference being Bilzing-
objects that are alike.” old (Figs. 1-10 and others). dence
These studies showed that which
that they do not share the same vertices within sleben
- Randall White their respective motifs whereas as all of these do. was
Homo erectus people were does not
Anthropology, New York
just as intelligent as we are align with immedi-
University, 1992: 546
today and that their symbolic this paradigm is seen not in ately censored from the pub-
and mathematical abilities the light of normal scientific lic record not only in the false
made them our equals. discovery but rather as a threat. > Cont. on page 14

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 14

Censoring the oldest human language (cont.)

“If the authors mean that report mentioned in Part 1, but
the mark makers of in the subsequent follow-up
Bilzingsleben exhibit
report on the congress by the
preferences for orderly
pattern...these kinds of Session’s Chair in Rock Art
preferences are well Research. In fact, the Chair
documented among the allotted only one sentence to
great apes.” the entire Pleistocene palaeoart
of the world session sacrificing
“There is no need to
invoke some ‘faculty for a standard acknowledgment of
abstract thinking,’ like all presenters, while in its place
publishing an
unexpectedly
high claim about
engraved bones
from a site 10km
from Bilzingsle-
ben. I have had
many similar
experiences ever
since submitting
my work for peer
review in anthro-
pology in 1995.
Fig. 7. The motifs share horizontal point coordi- The proofs of
nates. Artifacts 1 & 3. This is Slide #25 of the language in The
“original 144-slide series” before reducing to 112 Graphics of
to fit the time constraints of the XV UISPP Con- Bilzingsleben
ference. It is also Fig.6a of the published thesis
were subse-
paper, The Graphics of Bilzingsleben (BAR In-
quently forced to
ternational Series 2224) registered © April
2007 but censored from publication until 2011! endure five years
(NOTE: Anticipating problems such as this, I of academic
made certain to register the Slide programs & misconduct.
Thumbnails handout in 2006 and the papers in This involved
early 2007 being already experienced with ex- agendas not
treme misconduct in anthropology including
only of known
discovering my work or its influence in papers by
competitive
competitive researchers as peer reviewers
‘without citation.’) Working in the shared
space of mathematics and linguistics the
technique used to prove association between
the two motifs as well as their obvious ‘pre-
planned’ complexity is a double Cartesian grid
(optional curvilinear grid). Whether one is
the Journal of Human Evolution By keeping The Graphics of
Bilzingsleben from
the public, the sci-
ence community has
performed a great
disservice. Here is
physical evidence that
our ancestors were
like us rather than
ape-like. Suppressing
this evidence because
it does not agree with
the preferred world
view is academic mis-
conduct on a very high
level. In light of the
Fig. 10. Conference slide #25. Artifacts 1 & 3.
If the two original motifs are superimposed, any
recent scandal in the
remaining doubt that each is a sophisticated varia- Cognitive Evolution Lab
tion on the same motif is effectively dissolved. at Harvard University
Duplicated motifs are the hallmark of language. (eight counts of mis-
conduct related to
evolution of language
research) and similar
examples brought
forward by the Pleis-
tocene Coalition,
consumers of science
should prepare them-
selves for the fact that
this is only the tip of
the iceberg in the evo-
lutionary community.
REFERENCES
Mania, D. and U. Mania. 1988.
Fig. 9. Conference slide #24. Observation 6: The
Deliberate engravings on bone
motifs are mirror images. Artifacts 1 & 3. artifacts of Homo erectus.
Rock Art Research 5: 91-107.
White, R. 1992. “Beyond art: Toward an under-
(recom- standing of the origins of material representa-
mended tion in Europe.” ARA 21:537-64.
by Randall Davis, W. 1988. Comment on Mania and
Mania 1988. RAR 5: 101-3.
White
Bednarik R. G. 1988. Comment on Mania and
familiar Mania 1988. RAR 5: 96–100.

thinking in terms of grammar or other organ- with the Noble, W., and I. Davidson. 1991. “The
izational systems it offers a means to test the disgrace- evolutionary emergence of modern human
behaviour: Language and its archaeology.”
placement or shared association of any com- ful action Man 26: 223-53.
ponents. Looking beyond this, Figs. 1-2 and by UISPP Chase, P. G. 1991. “Symbols and Paleolithic
4-10 clearly show complex and intricate struc- and with artifacts: Style, standardization, and the
imposition of arbitrary form.” JAA 10:193-214.
tures within a single ‘radial structure conven-
tion.’ Unlike standard writing systems, fugue
editor of Feliks, J. 1998 [submitted ‘95]. The impact of fossils on

techniques (as in musical composition) and JHE in his the development of visual representation. RAR 15:109-34.

radial structures can potentially hold a great own de- - 2006 [submitted ‘04]. Musings on the Palaeolithic
fan motif. In P. Chenna-Reddy (ed), Exploring the
deal more factual or symbolic information in Fig. 8. Conference slide #23. Observation 5: Each
partment mind of ancient man. Research India Press. New Delhi.
multi-layered or superimposed form. There is motif shares an established plane (ABCD) and one at NYU) - 2008. Phi in the Acheulian: Lower Palaeolithic
no doubt that what we are dealing with here isolated 3D component (EF). Artifacts 1 & 3. intuition and the natural origins of analogy.
doing all
at Bilzingsleben is not an “ape-man.” These aspects relate to the internal 3D radial sys- BAR International Series 1804:11-31.
in their
tem (Musings on the Palaeolithic fan motif, Graph- - 2011 [submitted ‘07]. The graphics of
power to
ics, p.72, Phi, p.12). Not expecting a 5-year cen- Bilzingsleben: Sophistication and subtlety in the
planning ahead, to research- keep the
mind of Homo erectus. BAR I.S. 2224:71-91.
sorship, I assumed the “Larger system” announced
account for these ers but a first proofs
in the papers would be published shortly after. JOHN FELIKS is founder of the
morphologies.” censor- Pleistocene Coalition. He has spe-
of Homo
ing peer review board working cialized in the study of early hu-
- Whitney Davis Art History, erectus language obscured. man cognition for nearly 20 years.
Nonwestern University, 1988: 102 from the safety of anonymity at

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 15

Hueyatlaco/Valsequillo saga, Part 5 (cont.)

“Later studies by > Cont. from page 5 diatomite from within the pants" methods for rough-
[VanLandingham] Dorenberg skull, collected dating a Mexican archaeo-
samples from the Valse- in the area in the 1890s: logical site using tephra
showed the quillo Project, some 40 cu- same sequence! (Later layers. Mike Waters, from
edge-retouched bic feet of boxes, were in studies by him showed the the Center for the Study of
my care, edge-retouched tools from the First Americans at
occupying lower in the section were Texas A & M University was
rented stor- even much older, Illinoian, there. He expressed his
age space up to 430,000 years old.) interest in Hueyatlaco to
in a con- Mexican colleagues, and
verted Another field session was plans were formed to start
chicken scheduled for Hueyatlaco in a new Valsequillo Project
shed in 2001, this time with group.
Idaho greater involvement of sci-
Springs. entists from Mexico City.
VanLandingham joined the
After being group, bringing his micro- 2003
moved scope out into the field with I had translated the 1978
about be- him to check sediment Armenta monograph into
tween vari- samples as they were re- English September 1996-
ous storage moved from the outcrop. February, 1997, text only,
Fig. 3. Diatomist, Sam VanLandingham, archae- areas at He kept finding diatoms, all and. checked the transla-
ologist, Chris Hardaker, and I on the road crossing the USGS over the place! tion with Celine Armenta in
Barranca Caulapan in Mexico, where a worked Denver 2003 to make certain it
stone flake dated at c. 23,000 years old was found complex Archaeologist Chris Har-
daker was there, filming was accurate.
by Irwin Williams in the mid-60’s. The Valsequillo for close to
Reservoir is out of sight behind us. twenty the progress of the excava- Another visit to Mexico City
years, they tion for Marshall Payn and to Hueyatlaco, this
tools from needed a new home. Hal (Fig. 3). Bob McKinney time for a photo shoot. One
had retired, and the Survey was there also, a consulting of the missing Hueyatlaco
lower in the geologist and friend of Mar-
was running out of storage artifacts had been located,
section were space. shall's who collected sedi- unlabeled, in a display of
ment samples for thin sec- typical Mexican artifacts at
tion analyses. the museum. There was no
2001-3 The pace sign of the others.
increases Sam, Michael Cremo, and I
2002
With the start of spoke at "the conference
2001, things became We transferred the sealed from hell" in Washington,
a little blurry in my wooden crates with the D.C. (see my article in the
mind. So much was Hueyatlaco stratigraphic March-April 2011 issue of
happening! And so monoliths to VanLanding- PCN and Cremo's piece in
fast! ham's lab in Midland, Texas the July-August issue.)
and filmed their opening
VanLandingham re- and the sampling of the
ported back that the sediment columns by The 2004 field season
samples I'd sent him VanLandingham, McKinney
contained lots of dia- and Steen-McIntyre for the The trenches at Hueyatlaco
toms, some specific Payn video. The crate with were opened once again in
for the Sangamonian the bags of individual sam- 2004 by the new Valse-
(last Interglacial), ca ples taken from the trench quillo Project group. Hal
80,000-240,000 walls was not among the Malde and I were also
Fig. 4. Cover of proceedings volume years ago. This set. Lost down in Mexico? there, Hal taking film shots
from the Early Man in America sym- agreed with Szabo's On the way up to Colorado? for Marshall Payn and as-
posium, Mexico City, 2002. earlier U-series dates During the stay at the Sur- sisting Mike Waters in pre-
for a fragment of vey? Who can say? paring Mike's 4-extension
even much butchered camel bone as- trench profile while I col-
sociated with bifacial tools I gave a paper at the first lected three series of sedi-
older, Illinoian Early Man in America sympo-
in the upper part of ment samples from the
up to 430,000 Hueyatlaco. Sam men- sium in Mexico City (Fig. 4). trench walls, one for Sam
years old.” tioned his previous work on It was on "seat of the
> Cont. on page 16

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 16

Hueyatlaco/Valsequillo saga, Part 5 (cont.)

“Archaeologist VanLandingham, one for me
Chris Hardaker (later passed on to Bob
McKinney), and one for Dr.
was there,
Caballero, the New Valse-
filming the quillo Project's diatomist.
progress of the
Early it became evident that
excavation for there was a major differ-
that had been cut into the
older sequence. The dis-
puted contact on the 4-
extension trench profile
amounted in thickness to
only a half-meter of undis-
turbed sediment (Fig. 5),
VIRGINIA S TEEN-MCINTYRE, PhD, is
a tephrochronologist (volcanic
ash specialist) involved in pre-
serving and publishing the Pa-
laeolithic evidence from Valse-
quillo since the late 1960s. Her
story first came to public atten-
tion in Michael Cremo and Rich-

Fig. 5. Waters' 2004 4-extension trench profile showing Steen-McIntyre sample sites (black circles) with VanLandingham diagnostic
diatom locations added (colored circles.) The "Disputed Contact", so marked, occurs between the 7 and 8 metre marks, at the top.

Marshall Payn ence in interpretation of the
(Fig. 3). Bob stratigraphy and the age of
the sediments at the site.
McKinney was
there also, a con- We found in 1973 that the
sediment layers with arti-
sulting geolo-
facts were older than the
gist and friend bluff sediments with dated
of Marshall's tephra layers directly to the
who collected south: the New Valsequillo
Project group, on the other
sediment sam-
hand, would have the arti-
ples for thin sec- facts confined to a much
tion analyses.” younger stream channel
but it was enough. At the ard Thompson’s book, Forbid-
end of the field season, Hal den Archeology (1993), and in
the Bill Cote television special,
Malde suggested that in the Mysterious Origins of Man, hosted
near future the site be re-
by Charleton Heston (1996).
opened and visited by a
panel of impartial referees
trained in microstratigraphy
who would view the strati-
graphic relationships.

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE
Hueyatlaco/Valsequillo Saga, Part 6
By Virginia Steen-McIntyre
Ph.D, Tephrochronologist (Volcanic ash specialist)
2005-2007 Profiles, film, pub-
lications, manuscripts, loss
I spent a good part of 2005
transferring the 1973 Fryxell
“With trench profiles from Hueyat-
over 100 laco and the Irwin-Williams'
published and INAH profiles available to
us to computer.
research
papers to This was quite a learning
his credit, experience as my disinterest
in electronic gadgetry had
including allowed the computer revolu-
an eight- tion to pass me by. Now I
volume had no choice but to learn!
set on the Husband Dave was very help-
ful, and interested friends
diatoms began to gently introduce me
of the to the Internet and the idea
world, of a website of my own, even
never did to the point of absorbing the
cost of the site. With zero
he [Sam budget and a damaged repu-
VanLand- tation, I saw it as a way of
ingham] providing the public with the
hard data for the Valsequillo
have such
Project I could not provide
a hassle otherwise—"online"!
with edi-
In 2006 the anticipated Mar-
tors and shall Payn video, Valsequillo:
reviewers an Archaeological Enigma,
as when the one for which I had been
his results supplying data for so many
years was finished (Fig. 1).
brought Well, sort of. The original
into ques- director had been replaced
tion long by Bill Cote (Mystery of the
held ar- Sphinx), who was handed a
mishmash of material and
chaeologi told to make sense out of it.
cal and He did, to the point of win-
anthropo- ning an international award
logical for its quality. But it could
not be aired publicly: "Rights
dogmas.” issues." All that work. . . .
Sam VanLandingham's en-
thusiasm for the Valsequillo/
Hueyatlaco diatom study
showed in the many talks
and papers he produced on
the subject. From 2000 until
PLEISTOCENE COALITION
17
2010 he
devoted his
career to the
task.
According to
Sam, the
Valsequillo
area was
unique in
the world for
the study of
fresh-water
Pleistocene
diatoms,
displaying a
thick sedi-
mentary
sequence
representing
a very short
period of
geologic
time.
Fig. 1. Front cover of Valsequillo: An Archaeologi-
He did meet cal Enigma DVD, produced by project leader, Mar-
with frustra- shall Payn, and edited by award-winning documen-
tion in trying tary filmmaker, Bill Cote (Mysterious Origins of Man,
to get his and Emmy for Mystery of the Sphinx) who worked
data into with mixing prior materials with new and updated
footage. See Bill’s article in the May-June 2011
print. With
issue of PCN for more background details. The film
over 100
won a 2007 Telly Award.
published
research
papers to his credit, including unpublished data for the
piece, and gave succinct rea-
an eight-volume set on the
diatoms of the world, never sons why we believed the
artifacts to be very old. It
did he have such a hassle
with editors and reviewers as was to appear in a memorial
when his results brought into volume for famed paleontolo-
question long held archaeo- gist Charles Repenning, our
logical and anthropological murdered colleague. We
other authors gave it our first
dogmas.
critique, and Hal sent it off.
In late 2006 Hal Malde pro- For the later history of the
duced a manuscript regard- manuscript, see my article in
ing the stratigraphic debate the PCN newsletter, January-
at Hueyatlaco between the February 2011 issue. A por-
two Valsequillo Project tion of it, an addendum, oc-
groups. Chuck Naeser, Sam curs under Hal's name in the
VanLandingham and I were July-August 2011 issue of
listed as co-authors. PCN.
Hal had gathered much of his > Cont. on page 18
NEWS
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 18

Hueyatlaco/Valsequillo Saga, Part 6 (cont.)

Hal sickened shortly after the As mentioned above, Hal had knew it. The area had recently
manuscript was sent in. His insisted after the 2004 been graded, landscaped, and
health deteriorated rapidly Hueyatlaco dig and our dis- walled over by a local land-
over the year, and he died of agreement with the New Val- owner (Fig. 2) Legally? No, of
leukemia in November—a sequillo Project members course not, but what's done is
painful loss. about the age of the sedi- done.
ments exposed there that the
On the bright side, 2007 was Hueyatlaco trenches be The Hueyatlaco archaeological If you
also the year that Chris Har- site is apparently gone. But
daker pub- forgotten? would like
lished his Hardly,
book, The thanks to
to submit a
First this news-
American: letter.
The Sup- From the
comment,
pressed first issue
Story of in 2009 letter, or
the People articles
Who Dis- have ap- article for
covered peared
the New addressing publication
World—a various
treasure of aspects of in
information the site, of
on the Val- the Valse- Pleistocene
sequillo quillo area
Saga. in general, Coalition
and of the
problems
News,
2008- the vari-
2011, The ous writers
have en-
please e-
saga con-
tinues countered
in bringing mail the
Colleagues their re-
Fig. 2. The archaeological site of Valsequillo as it looks today. View to the northeast, editor or
of Hal
taken in March and showing a concrete block wall crossing a path down to the Hueyat- search to
Malde ar- laco site. The site occurs on the other side of the wall, roughly parallel to the house the atten-
ranged a on the left. Note the fresh appearance of the wall and the presence of guy ropes still tion of the Virginia
memorial attached to the large palms by the house. The wall construction and landscaping are public. We
session relatively new. Photo courtesy of Marshall Payn. are not Steen-
honoring done yet.
opened once again, and that a
him and his work at the 2008 McIntyre
panel of disinterested scien- In the planning stage is a
annual fall meetings of the
tists be convened to visit the piece or two highlighting Hal
Geological Society of America
site and view the stratigraphy. Malde's unpublished geological
in Houston.
Three members had been cho- maps. The Tetela brown mud
It was shortly after the latest unit, for example, covers a
sen for the panel, each one an
hurricane there, and at the wide area in the region. It
expert in microstratigraphy or
beginning of the economic forms an easily identifiable
geomorphology. There had
meltdown, so things were marker bed in the field, one
been attempts in previous
rather chaotic. I spoke of Hal's which has been dated. And we
years to fulfill his request, but
involvement with Valsequillo know that, some ten meters
either high water levels or
and the Hueyatlaco site and below this marker bed and
governmental red tape had
Sam about the diatom record. above the Xalnene tuff, one
intervened.
should start to encounter arti-
Josh Feinberg, one of the co-
We all hoped 2011 would be facts. OLD artifacts! And per-
conveners, had expressed
THE year and May THE month haps a companion for the
interest in digitizing Hal's geo-
that we could finally resolve Dorenberg skull?
logical maps for the Valsequillo
the stratigraphy problem; but
area and his unpublished Next issue I'll wrap up with a
then, on April 1, we were noti-
monograph. Still in the works, list of resources for those who
fied that the Hueyatlaco site
I believe.
was no more, at least as we > Cont. on page 19

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE
Hueyatlaco/Valsequillo Saga, Part 6 (cont.)
would continue investiga-
tions in the Valsequillo area.
“The Val- Right now they are scat-
sequillo/ tered far and wide.
Hueyat- Conclusion
laco Saga. For me, the Valsequillo/
For me it Hueyatlaco Saga has been a
has been a rough ride lasting 45 years.
Being a point man on a ma-
rough ride
jor paradigm shift is no fun!
lasting 45 Would I do it again? I don't
years.” know. My life certainly did
not take the path I would
have chosen for it!
• Steen- Member news
McIntyre Virginia Steen-McIntyre will
appear in a special television
on Russia interview on Russia Channel One.
Channel An 8-person crew from the station
visited Virginia on October 1st being
One very interested in the 45-year
suppression story of Hueyatlaco.
• Long-
Richard Dullum reports that co-
stored arti- writer Kevin Lynch (see article,
facts seen “Ancient tools of the Crag,” in the
July-August issue of PCN) was able
Avocational archaeology
‘Figure stones,’ what to do with them?
By Ken Johnston
“The prob-
lem usually Around 1850, French ama-
teur archaeologist Jacques
centers on
Boucher de Perthes coined
verifying the term “pierres-figures,”
or figure stones, to describe
artifact
apparently non-functional
status and stones which had been hu-
then gaug- manly worked and invoked
common patterns of particu-
ing prob- lar visual properties. The
subject has remained con-
ability of
troversial in archaeology to
intent to this day. The problem usu-
create the ally centers on verifying
artifact status and then
icons or
gauging probability of intent
images to create the icons or im-
ages perceived on the
perceived stones. Because it is inher-
on the ently subjective and inter-
pretive, issues of pareidolia
stones.” and the role of archaeologi-
PLEISTOCENE COALITION
I'll be 75 in December, and
the thoughts of fame and
fortune no longer have an
appeal. My poor, patient
husband has spent his whole
married life anticipating late
meals, missing buttons,
cobwebs in corners, and
dust-bunnies under the bed
while wifey worked through
her latest research chal-
lenge. Thank you, David!
Perhaps now, with this
reminiscence finally on pa-
per, we can experience
to secure permission to see the
long-stored artifacts in the cellar
of the Ipswich Museum in
Suffolk, England, and that
the visit went extremely well.
According to Kevin, the
museum’s curator, Caro-
line, was the perfect host,
and had prepared boxes
of artifacts for his perusal
in advance.
Kevin was able to take photo-
cal investigators’ biases of
perception have led many
scientists to avoid this topic.
PCN is not qualified to com-
ment on it or to rule on indi-
vidual pieces. What we can do
is this: (1) Provide occasional
links to the websites of mem-
bers involved with figure
stones. (2) Alert our readers
to what some see as wide-
spread, recurring themes such
as the one-eyed man, the
human/bird transition, the
"portrait" stones, and the
"eyed" projectile points. (3)
Take a closer look at figure
stones collected in situ, from
within a sediment layer that
has been or has the potential
to be dated. All photos need
NEWS
19
what other folk would call a
“normal life”!
VIRGINIA STEEN-MCINTYRE, PhD, is
a tephrochronologist (volcanic ash
specialist) involved in preserving
and publishing the Palaeolithic
evidence from Valsequillo since
the late 1960s. Her story first
came to public attention in Mi-
chael Cremo’s and Richard
Thompson’s book, Forbidden
Archeology (1993), and in the
Bill Cote television special, Mys-
terious Origins of Man, hosted
by Charleton Heston (1996).
graphs of many implements from
three important sites: the Foxhall
Road Site, Hoxne and
Darmsden, which included
Reid Moir finds from 1915.
Kevin further told Rick
that the cellar of the
museum is “bursting at
the seams” with boxes
and boxes of Palaeolithic
finds, and that he could
not believe the “quantity and
quality” of some of the artifacts.
to have a metric scale and,
ideally, the piece should be
given only a light cleaning
with a soft, dry brush (see the
Flagstaff stone story in the
May-June Issue for the "why").
Below we list two of our mem-
bers' websites where you can
go for more information on
figure stones.
We trust this will be agreeable
to (almost) everyone.
-VSM
Websites of members inter-
ested in figure stones:
Ken Johnston http://
portablerockart.blogspot.com/
Alan Day http://
www.daysknob.com
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 5 PAGE 20

Avocational archaeology
Scanner photography: Slick lithics imaging
By Kyron O’Doherty

It seems we've been run- With three-dimensional ob- Some caveats: The scan-
ning an unoffi- jects like lithics, the scanner ner light is bright so it is
cial series on lid at first appears to be inadvisable to look directly
photography for your enemy, as leaving it at it in operation. Also,
the avocational up might let ambient light lithics in particular may
archaeologist. spoil your scratch
In PCN Issue #10 results. the glass
(March-April, scanner
2011) we covered Solu- surface,
how to photo- tion? so be sure
graph lithics Leave the to place
(stone tools) us- lid in the them on
ing a digital cam- open po- the scan-
era and computer. sition and ner glass
Last issue I do your very care-
shared how we scanning fully.
did it 50 years ago in a dark-
with more primi- ened If you
tive equipment. room. It have ac-
Fig. 1. Neanderthal biface artifact; photo Here Kyron O'Do- doesn't cess to a
taken by Kyron O’Doherty using a simple herty of Ireland have to color pho-
flatbed scanner. Scale is in inches. shows what can be pitch tocopier
be done with a black; low you can
flat-bed scanner (copy ma- light will also use
“A USB- suffice as Fig. 2. Reverse side of the Neanderthal this tech-
chine) and a bit of ingenu-
enabled ity. Slick! -VSM the scan- artifact; photo taken by Kyron O’Doherty nique to
ner won't using a flatbed scanner. Label in lower left get hard
scanner usually reads: “Sepaux Grand Bailly 89. Bif.
pick up copies.
ensures O’Doherty writes: ambient
Mousterien.” Editor’s note: The original
scanned photos of the artifact show much
compatibility light be- more detail than seen in these thumbnails.
The exam-
with and How to take detailed yond a ples in this
article
downloadable pictures of artifacts few inches.
were made using a 10-year-
drivers for without a camera Set the resolution of your old Agfa SnapScan 1212u
most PCs or First you’ll need an ordinary scanner to as high as it will with a Macbook Pro laptop
Macs.” desktop flatbed scanner. If go for best results. You can computer. The object is a
you don't always reduce the size af- Mousterian/Neanderthal-
possess one, terwards. style biface (worked on both
used exam- sides of the tool) from
Place the object carefully on Grand Bailly, Sepaux in
ples may be the glass plate and scan in
purchased Burgundy, France. It is part
the usual fashion. This of an older collection from
quite cheaply should result in a very de-
through inter- the late 1980s, and shows a
tailed image of your artifact centralized natural hollow in
net auctions, on a black background.
garage sales the base. Obverse, reverse
etc. A USB- The most common A4 scan- and base. Scale is in inches.
Fig. 3. Base of the Neanderthal artifact; The enabled scan- ner size also allows you to
hollow seen is an empty mold that once con- ner usually arrange whole groups of KYRON O’DOHERTY is an amateur
tained a fossil; photo taken by Kyron O’Do- ensures com- lithics in one scan, which artifact and fossil collector who
herty using a simple flatbed scanner. you can then crop or sepa-
patibility with lives in Ireland. He has had a
and rate later with the graphics long-time fascination with Nean-
downloadable drivers for editing application of your derthal stone artifacts which he
choice such as Photoshop. finds in online auctions.
most PCs or Macs.

PLEISTOCENE COALITION NEWS

VOLUME 3, ISSUE
The
Pleistocene Coalition
Prehistory is about to change
PLEISTOCENE COALITION
NEWS, Vol. 3: Issue 5
(September-October)
SECOND ANNIVERSARY ISSUE
© Copyright 2011
PUBLICATION DETAILS
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/LAYOUT
John Feliks
COPY EDITORS/PROOFS
Virginia Steen-McIntyre
Tom Baldwin
David Campbell
SPECIALTY EDITORS
Paulette Steeves, Alan Cannell,
James B. Harrod, Rick Dullum, Virginia Steen-McIntyre
Matt Gatton
ADVISORY BOARD
Virginia Steen-McIntyre
5 PAGE 21
• Learn the real story of our Palaeolithic
ancestors, a story about highly-intelligent
and innovative people, a story quite unlike
that promoted by mainstream science.
• Explore and regain confidence in your
own ability to think for yourself regarding
human ancestry as a broader range of
evidence becomes available to you.
• Join a community not afraid to chal-
lenge the status quo. Question with confi-
dence any paradigm promoted as
"scientific" that depends upon withholding
conflicting evidence from the public in or-
der to appear unchallenged.
CONTRIBUTORS to this Pleistocene Coalition
ISSUE
News is produced by the
Lutz Fiedler Pleistocene Coalition
bi-monthly
Joe Liddicoat
since October 2009.
Jim Bischoff Back issues can be found
Jörn Greve near the bottom of the
PC home page.
Gerhard Neuhäuser
To learn more about early
Fred Budinger
man in the Pleistocene visit
Richard Dullum
our newly redesigned
Kevin Lynch website at
Ken Johnston
pleistocenecoalition.com
Kyron O’Doherty
John Feliks The Pleistocene Coalition is en-
tering its third year of challeng-
ing mainstream scientific dogma.
If you would like to join
the coalition please write
to the editors.
P L E I S T O C E N E C O A L I T I O N N E W S