A New Human

Starred review from May 15, 2007
While many lay readers may be aware of the amazing 2004 discovery in Indonesia of a three-foot tall human skeleton nicknamed after J.R.R. Tolkien's famous Hobbit, far fewer are aware of the controversy that subsequently surrounded this fossil find and where it would be ultimately placed on the evolutionary tree. Although some critics suggest that these bones were those of an abnormal modern human pygmy, Australian anthropology professor Morwood (who made the discovery) argues that this represents a previously unknown human species, Homo floresiensis. He cites excavations in the region where the fossil was found that showed a population of hominid hunter-gatherers who survived for over 40,000 generations. And while their brain size is considerably below the accepted range for being included in the hominid category, Morwood points out that these tiny creatures were decidedly not chimpanzees, showing evidence that they made stone tools, used fire, and hunted communally mini stegodons, Komodo dragons, and elephants. The most significant question the Homo floresiensis fossil discovery raised, Morwood says, is, What is a human? With the assistance of an award-winning Australian science writer, he has written a fascinating scientific tale that incorporates the complexities involved with anthropology and archaeology in Indonesia: bureaucracy, theft, oversized egos, and scores settled sometimes by murder. Highly recommended for all public and academic libraries.Gloria Maxwell, Metropolitan Community Coll. Lib., Kansas City, MO

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