Survival of Homo Sapiens
Homo Sapiens is the scientific name of the only survived human species that appeared in East Africa more than 200, 000 years ago. The name is taken from Latin and means the wise man. Scientists define Homo Sapiens as archaic human of modern kind, who developed advanced methods of survival, which let the scientists name them Homo Sapiens Sapiens or Cro-Magnon Man due to the fact that the most vivid remains of Homo Sapiens Sapiens were found in the place called Cro-Magnon in France (“Cro-Magnon Man. Anatomically Modern or Early Modern Humans”). The spread of Homo Sapiens around the world started some 125 years ago and the first region, which was settled by them was Middle East (“Early Modern Homo Sapiens”). During the next 50, 000 years Homo Sapiens had been migrating and settling other areas of the planet including Europe (“Homo Sapiens.”). In comparison to other continents and territories Europe, North Asia, and North America were the most difficult regions to settle at those times. So, the question is: what conditioned the adaptation of Homo Sapiens in newly settled territories? What concerns Europe, there are at least three main factors of the survival of Homo Sapiens, which deeply influenced the life of the species in this continent and forced the settlers to adapt and/or fight for their dominance. These are the Continent’s weather, other human species, and the wild nature.
Although the first Homo Sapiens came to Europe 43, 000 years ago there is no clear evidence that this was the time of a vast migration (“Homo sapiens arrives earlier in Europe?”). Nevertheless during the next 5, 000 years Europe became the habitat of modern human. This was the time of a rigorous weather conditions due to the fact that the Continent suffered from the Ice Age. Archaeological evidence demonstrates that Homo Sapiens did not have any evolutionary adaptation to the cold weather and could not survive in close to Arctic conditions without specially designed adjustments (“Homo Sapiens”). That is why, the survival in Europe became a matter of inventiveness. Having come from different weather conditions Homo Sapiens had to create new kind of shelters, which would be capable to keep insulating properties during the winter. This demanded more building materials. Moreover, the process of making shelters became more diverse as well as the sources of materials. The same concerns the clothes, cold protective part of which became more important than the defense from scratches and wounds. More hides were needed, which required more hunting. The hunting became different, too. To create new shelters and clothes, people had to hunt larger animal, which were usually wooly. This required new, larger and sharper hunting tools, which in turn required new materials like obsidian. This is how new crafting skills appeared. All these contributed to new activities and further development of early human society.
When Homo Sapiens arrived in Europe they encountered Neanderthals who were the human species that had settled …
