July 23, 2009.

Paleontologists reported about a unique find lifted up from the bottom of the North Sea

Paleontologists reported about a unique find – a fragment of a scull of a Neanderthal, which was lifted up from the bottom of the North Sea around 15 kilometers away from the Netherlands’ shore.

Scientists were able to define that the fragment of the scull belonged to a male. According to the researchers, the age of the find is approximately 60,000 years. To determine the age paleontologists compared this fragment with other similar discoveries. The problem is that using the common method of radio-carbon analysis to determine the date meant destroying more than half of the artifact.

Analysis of isotope constitution of the bones enabled to determine the fact that the Neanderthal fed almost exclusively on meat. This very well agrees with the results of other researches showing that Neanderthals were on top of the food chain. It is believed that apart from hunting they also engaged themselves in fishing.

Scientists believe that discoveries of the remains of ancient animals in this part of the North Sea are not extraordinary at all. The thing is that in the past the level of water here was significantly lower and the area was a plain cut by a big number of rivers. The discovery of the remains of the Neanderthal, however, became the first of its kind.

According to a dominating theory, man edged out the Neanderthals, since man’s ancestors were more capable hunters. But recently the results of researches proved that Neanderthals were in no way inferior to men of that time. In particular, their tools were in quality not worse than those of men, and in some characteristics even exceeded products made by Homo sapiens. Lenta Ru reports with reference to BBC News.