Neanderthal brain salad surgery?

[Ejudy]

On the subject of the head gashed neandertal, do they know how
old he was when the injury occured? In a Hss, would that same
type of wound have healed? It seems like an outrageously
difficult injury to live through. Neandertal's have thicker
bones and i would think maybe they deposited calcium faster.
Is there any evidence of a difference in healing the wound
between Hss and neandertal.

I still think you shouldn't rule out games because humans lose
eyes frequently when playing fight games with weapons and mock
weapons. Then if someone gets hurt the game stops and the
teams become the medics and the tribe cares for the
misfortunate wounded individual. So you get the best care
possible instead of just dragging the almost dead guy home
after the hunt or after the skirmish or whatever as this would
mean more risks and more germs perhaps. That isn't the kind of
injury you bleed to death from is it? Is there any reason to
think maybe they had to have some kinds of medicine or
knowledge of useful procedures to help in the event of such an
injury? Herbal medicine? SHamans and extra immunity to bad
little injury invading bugs? IOW, what's different with this
scenario physically with the neandertal (if anything) than if
it had been a sleek skulled Hss? Sort of more forceful than
early brain surgery ;-) Ok maybe this was ~neandertal~ brain
surgery (you know i am joking ANNE ;-) AT THE VERY LEAST we
see here that an exposed brain did not cause a feeding
frenzy... oh my! And ouch! What does it mean with regard to
social systems and valuing the individual?

ejudy

[Leif]

ejudy:
> I still think you shouldn't rule out games because humans
> lose eyes frequently when playing fight games with weapons
> and mock weapons. Then if someone gets hurt the game stops
> and the teams become the medics and the tribe cares for the
> misfortunate wounded individual.

I don't think a small Neanderthal group could afford that.
This is luxury behaviour in large tribes where you can gain in
status by such acts.

> Is there any reason to think maybe they had to have some
> kinds of medicine or knowledge of useful procedures to help
> in the event of such an injury?

Why not? If they knew about glue, they might also know
about medicine.

> What does it mean with regard to social systems and valuing
> the individual?

It means that every individual was important, and the group
had strong bonds with each other. However, it tells us nothing
of bonds with other groups.

As for the cause of the injury, I feel pretty certain it's
caused by AMH. It makes no sense that someone in the group
would first injure a member, and then help him recover.

Leif