Neanderthals and Atlantis

Where do we come from? The idea of human origins--the whole pattern of prehistory--has been through a revolution. The long-held Darwinian view purported to show how adopting an upright posture caused the gradual transition from animal to human. That theory has fallen apart spectacularly. Human orientation and equilibrium are now seen as a "biological new beginning." Characteristics such as social complexity and artistic ability emerged with startling suddenness--in a Stone Age "cognitive explosion." In place of Darwin, an entirely new history has emerged: a migration out of Africa and a Middle Eastern transformation. Crucial to understanding this is the discovery of our mystical, shamanic roots, as shown in the cave-paintings that dazzled Picasso. It has become clear that the cognitive leap was a spiritual revolution.

Not least, our supposed human uniqueness has been challenged by the Neanderthals, whose heritage has been hidden for millennia. In no sense crude "ape-men," they were a highly intelligent, culturally advanced people whose history long overlapped ours. Without them, human evolution would undoubtedly be very different.