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"We think in generalities, we live in details"
  
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Note to DaveScot: Hominin Fossils Would Fill a Coffin Many Times Over
« on: 2007-05-06 03:40:41 » |
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[Blunderov] This image is not part of the original Afarensis post and was added by me. Image source = accessexcellence.org
(Of course it is anyway a fallacy to suggest that the amount of evidence is a necessary coefficient of the persuasiveness of that evidence. A little evidence may be very persuasive in and of itself or vice versa.)
Afarensis
Note to DaveScot: Hominin Fossils Would Fill a Coffin Many Times Over
Category: Creationism • Insanity • Intelligent Design • Paleoanthropology
Posted on: May 5, 2007 9:45 PM, by afarensis, FCD
Over at UD DaveScot makes a claim profoundly at odds with reality (no surprise there, eh). Specifically, in the thread that about MacCallum's PLOS article Davescot says:
All the hominid fossils we have wouldn't fill a single coffin.
I guess DaveScot doesn't know that over 400 Neanderthal fossils have been discovered. Many such as at Shanidar are fairly complete, or have substantial portions of the skeleton. Here is a rundown of some other numbers from a previous post of mine
At Omo over 500 specimens have been found representing gracile and robust australopithicines and early homo. At Sterkfontein over 600 specimens representing over 50 individuals from Australopithecus africanus, A. robustus and Homo habilis. At Makapansgat over 30 specimens representing approximately 12 individuals from A. robustus and H. erectus. At Hadar over 250 specimens representing approximately 35 individuals from A. afarensis. At Atapuerca/Gran Dolina 100 specimens from 6 individuals. At Atapuerca/Sima delos Huesos 28 individuals. At Predmosti 29 individuals. At Dolni Vestonce 35 individuals. At Krapina 800 specimens representing over 80 indivuals. At Vindija 80 specimens. At Skhul 10 individuals. At Shanidar 9 individuals. Whats missing from the list I just presented are sites such as Olduvai Gorge and Sangiran, among others. The amount of diversity in terms of morphology in the above list is certainly adequate to characterize the full range of variation for most of the species we are familiar with.
Some of the other sites I didn't give figures for are Koobi Fora, Modjerko, Zhoukoudian (both the H. erectus site and the upper cave), Abri Pataud, Jebel Irhoud, (three fairly complete skulls, of which two are adult and one is a juvenile), Allia Bay, Ambrona, Arago, Baringo, Blombos, Bodo, Dali, Maba, Dmanisi, Drimolen, Florisbad, Hexian, Lake Mungo, Petralona, etc, the list goes on and on. The Catalogue of Fossil Hominids put out by the British Natural History Museum in 1976 listed over 3900 fossils. I've heard recent estimates in the 10,000 range. In short, DaveScot doesn't know what he is talking about.
If I left any out, and I am sure I have - all the recent Trinkaus discoveries for example - let me know. I would like to hear from the anthro readers (whether students - who should ask their teachers as well - or professors) on this subject...
(Hat tip to Jack Krebs)
Update 1: Swanscombe, Steinheim, Nariokotome, Ndutu, Olorgesailie, Konso-Gardula (in the Middle Awash), Daka, Ngandong, Florisbad, Die Kelders Cave, Equus Cave, Border Cave, Klasies River Mouth, Herto, Aduma, Ngaloba, Eliye Springs, Rabat, Dar-es-Soltane, Mugharet el Aliya, Zouhra, Engis, Forbes Quarry, Neander Valley, Spy, Ehringsdorf, Le Moustier, La Chapelle-aux-Saints, La Ferrassie, La Quina, Mladec, Brno, Ochoz, Sipka, Cro Magnon, Laetioli, Kanapoi, Mauer, Lothagam, Lukenio, Ngororaa, Tabarin, Bouri, Peninj, Chesowanja, Konso, Lomekwi, Sali, Trinil, Gongwangling, Lantian, Yuanmou, Jian Shi, Yiyuan, Yunxian, Boxgrove, Bilzingsleben, Ceprano, Reilingen, Biache, Montmaurin, Saccopatore, Kabwe, Saldanha, Eyasi, St. Cesaire, Zuttiyeh, Wajak, Niah Cave, Kow Swamp, Tandou, just to name a few more...
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Comments
David Springer's brains aren't enough to fill a standard martini glass, even if you added three olives and far too much vermouth.
Posted by: Gerard Harbison | May 6, 2007 12:21 AM
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