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Physical Features : Classical and Progressive Neanderthals  Increased Cranial capacity: The skull from Shanidar (Iraq) and Amud (Israel) have been estimated to upto 1700 to 1740 cc. Dolichocephalic skull - narrow and long  Skull wall and brow ridges thick Heavy jaw, chin receding backward Dentition is parabolic with no diastema  Sylurian fissure in brain signifies more developed brain with possibility of existence of language. However, pharynx is less developed. Some facial prognathism Strong femur with large head. Strong ribs, erect posture, foramen Magnum Geographical Distribution of Neanderthals: Cultural Characteristics of Neanderthals: Nousterian Culture: flake tools became more popular. The industry of these tools is found in Le Mouster, hence the name given to the culture, which is unique to Neanderthals.  Strong social organisation: otherwise La Chappelle Aux man, as also handicapped Shanidar man could not have survived in old age without social support. Rituals : first direc

  Neanderthal Man: The evolution of Neanderthals is a complex and long process that unfolded over hundreds and thousands of years. Some evolutionary history about Neanderthals. Common Ancestor: The common ancestor of Neanderthals and Modern humans lived around 800,000 years ago. This ancestral species was likely Homo Heidelbergensis. Divergence and adaptations : Around 400,000 years ago, some Population of this common ancestor began to adapt to the colder climates of Europe and Asia. Overtime, these populations developed distinctive traits, such as a robust body and skull, which are characteristics of Neanderthals. Spread and Isolation: Neanderthals spread across Europe and parts of Asia, adapting to their specific environments. Geographical Isolation led to the development of regional variations.  Cultural and Technological Advancements: Neanderthals developed sophisticated tool making techniques, controlled fire, and created symbolic artifacts, indicating cognitive abilities and cul

  The state of India’s Scheduled Areas How are such areas identified and governed? What did the Bhuria committee in 1995 recommend? How have the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, or PESA, in 1996 changed governance of Scheduled Areas? Scheduled Area States under 5th scheduled: Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat. Tribal Area States under 6th scheduled: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizorum Background of the article: India’s 705 Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities — making up 8.6% of the country’s population — live in 26 States and six Union Territories. Article 244, pertaining to the administration of Scheduled and Tribal Areas, is the single most important constitutional provision for STs. Article 244(1) provides for the application of Fifth Schedule provisions to Scheduled Areas notified in any State other than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. The Sixth Schedu

  Israel-Palestine war: A brief history of Gaza's 75 years of woe Held by the Ottoman Empire until 1917, it passed from British to Egyptian to Israeli military rule over the last century and is now a fenced-in enclave inhabited by over 2 million Palestinians. Gaza is a coastal strip of land that lay on ancient trading and maritime routes along the Mediterranean shore. Held by the Ottoman Empire until 1917, it passed from British to Egyptian to Israeli military rule over the last century and is now a fenced-in enclave inhabited by over 2 million Palestinians. Here are some of the major milestones in its recent history. Some glimpses of Israel Palestine conflict: Background - the roots of the conflict can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th century when Jewish immigration to Palestine, then under Ottoman rule, began to increase. The Zionist movement, which sought of establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine, gained momentum during this period.  Balfour Declaration (1917)  D

  Neanderthal Man (Man of Neander Valley): Neanderthal man, or Neanderthals, were an extinct species of hominins closely related to modern humans. They lived in Europe and parts of Asia from around 400,000 years ago until about 40,000 years ago (middle to upper Pleistocene epoch) Neanderthals are known for their distinctive physical features, including a robust body and large brow ridges.  They had a complex culture and made tools, used fire and social structures. There is evidence of interbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans, with many peoples of non-African descent today carrying some Neanderthal DNA in their genomes. First fossil discovered by William King in 1856 in Neander Valley, Germany.  In Anthropology, the study Neanderthals plays a significant role to understand human evolution and the diversity of hominin species. Some key aspects of Neanderthals in anthropology: Human Evolution: Neanderthals represent close relatives to modern humans and provide valuable insight

  Homo Erectus  Homo Erectus is an extinct species of hominin that lived approximately 2 to 0.25 million years ago. They were some of the first hominins to walk fully upright and had a more human like posture and body structure compared to their predecessors.  Some subspecies of Homo Erectus: Homo Erectus Erectus (Java Man) Homo Erectus Peckinensis (China Man) Homo Erectus Narmadaensis (Narmada Man) Homo Erectus Heidelbergensis (Heidelberg Man) Some fossils evidences found in places:  Geographical distribution of Homo Erectus: The first fossil was discovered by Eugene Dubois in 1891. He gave the name of Homo Erectus as Pithecanthropus Erectus (Erect Man) however later Janush  gave the name Homo Erectus as he is not a connecting link between Man and Ape but an evolutionary stage of man with erect posture. Homo Erectus holds the significant place in the field of anthropology and the study of human evolution. Here are some ways in which Homo Erectus is important in anthropology: Understan

Homo Habilis (Handi Man) Recent Development of Homo Habilis: While scientists used to think that H. Habilis was the ancestor of Homo Erectus, recent discoveries in 2000 of relatively late 1.44 million years old Homo Habilis and a relatively early 1.55 million years old H. Erectus  from the same area of northern Kenya (Lake Turkana) challenged the conventional view that these species evolved one after the other. Instead, this evidence - along with other fossils - demonstrate that they coexisted in eastern Africa for almost a half million years.  Structure: Homo Habilis, which means "handi man" is an extinct species of hominid that lived approximately 2.4 to 1.4 million years ago during the early Pleistocene epoch. Fossils of Homo Habilis was first discovered by L. S. B. Leaky in 1964.     Homo Habilis is considered as the important transitional species in human evolution, as it represents a significant step in development of the Homo genus and the emergence of traits associate