Cave men had trophy rooms

[norseman]

https://www.themeateater.com/conservation/anthropology/study-neanderthals-displayed-trophy-antlers-too?fbclid=IwAR2o3JO53h6judpQcPcMo-ClndFSXT8gus5-X00zx9Z5MrHgfXVNqn9YMJs

[guyzonthropus]

It's interesting how they point out that of the kills/remains discovered, most were from males of the prey species. As a hunter yourself, there, Norseman, what do you think? Was this in order to acquire greater quantities of antler to be crafted into whatever they may have been crafting? To build up the trophy stockpile? Or were they taking primarily males because they understood the dynamics of mammalian breeding patterns where a single male will impregnate whole herds of females so taking mostly males had the least impact on the breeding population/results?

 

And if these were migrational hoovestock were they taking them at a point where antler growth was complete? I suppose that would depend on where a long the migratory route their specific clan lived, presuming they weren't directly following the herds like wolves.

 

I found it intriguing they found rhino skulls! 

 

With the direct method of hunting Neanderthals were said to practice with out the use of airborne projectiles, but rather an ambush and stab approach, which no doubt had a much a higher mortality rate amongst the hunters themselves, I wonder if these skills might actually serve as a memorial of sorts, taking the skull of a creature that took the life/lives of clan members, in that the numbers would indicate not every skull was kept, so some sort of selective process was involved. Sure it could be just "raddest set of horns/antlers" from a hunt was kept, or maybe those of boy/mans first kill or something along those lines......a marking of rites of passage. 

Edited February 27, 2023 by guyzonthropus
Autocorrect hates me.....

[norseman]

5 hours ago, guyzonthropus said:

It's interesting how they point out that of the kills/remains discovered, most were from males of the prey species. As a hunter yourself, there, Norseman, what do you think? Was this in order to acquire greater quantities of antler to be crafted into whatever they may have been crafting? To build up the trophy stockpile? Or were they taking primarily males because they understood the dynamics of mammalian breeding patterns where a single male will impregnate whole herds of females so taking mostly males had the least impact on the breeding population/results?

 

And if these were migrational hoovestock were they taking them at a point where antler growth was complete? I suppose that would depend on where a long the migratory route their specific clan lived, presuming they weren't directly following the herds like wolves.

 

I found it intriguing they found rhino skulls! 

 

With the direct method of hunting Neanderthals were said to practice with out the use of airborne projectiles, but rather an ambush and stab approach, which no doubt had a much a higher mortality rate amongst the hunters themselves, I wonder if these skills might actually serve as a memorial of sorts, taking the skull of a creature that took the life/lives of clan members, in that the numbers would indicate not every skull was kept, so some sort of selective process was involved. Sure it could be just "raddest set of horns/antlers" from a hunt was kept, or maybe those of boy/mans first kill or something along those lines......a marking of rites of passage. 

Males make bigger trophies. At least in mammals. I’m sure the smaller examples were used in tool making and nobody touched Big Daddy’s trophy!

 

A Neanderthal man that was stabbing dinner to death was probably not a happy camper if you turned his trophy Auroch into a soup ladle.

 

Interestingly enough this tradition of being a “horn hunter” is strongest in Europe. And even Bronze Age Viking and Celtics wore horns on their heads. 
 

Horns or antlers make my heart skip a beat. At least in Moose, Elk and Deer…. I don’t know what Iam looking at with African or Asian game.

[Doug]

I take a part of every animal I "havest". It is a tribute to the animal and memorial of the hunt and reminder to me that it is serious to take a life in order to have a diet rich in protein.