Hominid manicures

[John Grehan]

A while back I made a comment about the nice hair cut shown in a
reconstruction of the Flores hominid (and one list contributor made the
nice suggestion that Homo erectus was the barber!). Now National
Geographic has come out with similarly proficient renditions of Flores
and Dmanisi. I could not resist sending in a note and since it's
doubtful it would get published I have reproduced it below for general
interest.

 

"As one involved with science and public communication I was intrigued
by the way the dramatic Flores and Dmanisi reconstructions suggest that
early hominids were proficient barbers. The illustrations show that
these hominids gave themselves decent hair cuts and they were able to
crop their beards and even shave their cheeks. These are impressive
abilities, particularly for the Flores fossil where the brain size is
little different from that of a modern ape."

 

 

Dr. John R. Grehan

Director of Science and Collections

Buffalo Museum of Science1020 Humboldt Parkway

Buffalo, NY 14211-1193

email: jgrehan at sciencebuff.org

Phone: (716) 896-5200 ext 372

 

Panbiogeography

http://www.sciencebuff.org/biogeography_and_evolutionary_biology.php

Ghost moth research

http://www.sciencebuff.org/systematics_and_evolution_of_hepialdiae.php

Human evolution and the great apes

http://www.sciencebuff.org/human_origin_and_the_great_apes.php