Insider the body, the bone
Under the skin, the blood
Over the skin, the fur
Across the fur, the hand
From the hand, the fire
Before the fire, the wood
Out of the wood, the tar
Held by the tar, the stone
Scraped by the stone, the red
Beneath the red, the shell
Inside the shell, the secret *
Just a quick note for those of you who like great books. Kindred, by Rebecca Wragg Sykes is an elegant, authoritative look at our long-lost kindred spirits and relatives, the Neanderthal. From historical and outdated methodologies depicting Neanderthal as knuckle-dragging, stooped primitives who existed in ice age conditions along with the wooly mammoth, Sykes draws on the latest archeological and paleo-sciences to illustrate just how similar H. Sapiens are to Neanderthal. Ranging far back into times almost incomprehensible, it is an enthralling lesson about our ancient cousins.
Compelling and beautifully written, always approachable for those who want a high level perspective and dense enough for those who are in the ‘business’ of paleontology, I gained such an appreciation of the roots of hominids and a better understanding of the subtle complexities of Neanderthal biology and culture.
Highly recommended.
*Intro to chapter seven, Material World.
Neanderthal reconstruction images by Tom Bjorklund.
