A meeting between 2 hominins
One of the most interesting things for me to think about when it comes to human evolution is how did our ancestors react to one another when meeting a group of a different species of hominin. Did they recognize them as different from themselves, or were they incapable of making that distinction? Did they fight each other over resources or were they able to co-exist to a certain degree? Or would they react with either fear or interest? Some people today are aggressive towards others of our same species, even if that aggressiveness is merely based off differences in physical appearance or ideology. However, there is definitely a proportion of people who do not engage in this. I believe there is not a single answer to the question of what sort of interactions did our ancestors have with each other.
It's likely that their interactions were based on individual situations and their decisions could be driven by the will to survive. For example, I would imagine there were cases where two species fought over resources because one group was struggling to survive and needed to acquire food and a new home if their previous living situation has become unsustainable for them. Or if they could recognize that another species was different than them, they could react with hostility and perceive the other group as competition and a potential threat to their survival. On the other side, I do believe that some of the interactions between human ancestors was beneficial for both groups. Neanderthals and homo sapiens have coexisted with each other in the past, and there is lots of evidence for it. Nearly all modern humans have a small amount of neanderthal DNA in them, showing that neanderthals and homo sapiens not only knew of each other's existence, but also interbred and assimilated with them. There are many theories on how exactly neanderthals went extinct, but I personally believe that their species had been struggling for a long time and eventually decided to coexist with homo sapiens. It would benefit both species, more members in a group could mean more hands for helping for homo sapiens when it came to protection, gathering resources, and making tools and neanderthals were given the opportunity to save themselves from whatever was running them to extinction and about to end their genetic line. It would also mean more available partners for reproduction on both sides.
Unfortunately, these events have happened so long ago that we might never get a full picture of what it was like for two different species of hominid to meet but I do think it's fun to think about.
It's likely that their interactions were based on individual situations and their decisions could be driven by the will to survive. For example, I would imagine there were cases where two species fought over resources because one group was struggling to survive and needed to acquire food and a new home if their previous living situation has become unsustainable for them. Or if they could recognize that another species was different than them, they could react with hostility and perceive the other group as competition and a potential threat to their survival. On the other side, I do believe that some of the interactions between human ancestors was beneficial for both groups. Neanderthals and homo sapiens have coexisted with each other in the past, and there is lots of evidence for it. Nearly all modern humans have a small amount of neanderthal DNA in them, showing that neanderthals and homo sapiens not only knew of each other's existence, but also interbred and assimilated with them. There are many theories on how exactly neanderthals went extinct, but I personally believe that their species had been struggling for a long time and eventually decided to coexist with homo sapiens. It would benefit both species, more members in a group could mean more hands for helping for homo sapiens when it came to protection, gathering resources, and making tools and neanderthals were given the opportunity to save themselves from whatever was running them to extinction and about to end their genetic line. It would also mean more available partners for reproduction on both sides.
Unfortunately, these events have happened so long ago that we might never get a full picture of what it was like for two different species of hominid to meet but I do think it's fun to think about.
this is such a great piece. I always enjoy reading your work since you are so good at synthesizing material. your point that Neandertal may have been struggling for a long time and eventually decided to coexist with Homo sapiens is really interesting. i wonder what it would have been like to be in that situation. SAdly we know a lot of hisotrical and recent examples of cultures being destroyed but maybe that literature can also point to hopeful things that get passed down (such as Gullah Cuisine or somethng like that)
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