A gap exists in the history of human evolution. For years archaeologists have searched to find the missing link, the link between the apes and humans. With the advent of the Women's movement, alternative versions of historical events are being presented in order to offset the general accepted theories which were products of Patriarchal bias. The following is a presentation of prehistory from a feminist point of view which attempts to fill in this previously mentioned gap.
The Tertiary period began about 70,000,000 years ago. it had a warm climate and saw the rise of the mammals. Where once the dinosaurs roamed, the mammals now grazed. Within another 40,000,000 years the plants began growing flowers, and the larger browsing animals grazed on the open plains that were replacing the forests. This was the time of the Mastodon. The giant lizards gave way to the mammals. More than 13 different species of the Elephants ancestors roamed all over the world. Trees were stripped bare by the 18 foot high and 27 foot long ancestors of the rhinoceros, and giant sloths helped to strip the land of trees. The grass plains were emerging and the smaller grazing animals took advantage of the change. Large flightless birds and the sabre-toothed cats preyed on these smaller mammals, as well as some of the larger ones. The proto-horses and early deer fell prey to these carnivores. This was also the time of the great apes, the tree dwellers. These apes survived because they were adapted to forest life, swing and climbing trees and living up above the dangers, and within easy reach of their main diet, fruits and leaves.
But the climate was changing, the forests were retreating and the savannah was being born. We can assume that the more timid of the apes were forced out of the trees and onto the ground by their more powerful cousins, where they became prey to the carnivores. Although they could exist on the ground, they could eat roots and grains and low growing fruits, they were not well adapted to walking: their feet were made for grabbing holding and climbing. Their only escape from their enemies was in the trees, and as they were continually pushed back to the ground, they had to find other refuge. Imagine, if you will, a small female ape, with her young, searching the grass lands for food. She wanders further and further away from the protection of the trees looking for something to eat. Suddenly she hears the cry of danger from other grazing animals. The danger is between her and sanctuary. There is only one way to go and she runs that way, in the opposite direction from the forest. Soon she must find a place to hide, so she runs on and on until she comes to a large sheet of water. She hesitates only momentarily, for as uncomfortable as the water is, it is much better than becoming a meal. The potential diner advances, she retreats further into the water. The predator follows, but she has the advantage, she can stand semi-upright and can go further and deeper into the water than can her pursuer and soon he tires of being wet and decides it is easier to stalk other prey on land.
This bit of speculation, however unrealistic it seems, has far more evidence to support it than the evidence or should I say lack of evidence, of the emergence of humans on the plains. Let us follow this ape and her progeny through the next few million years and let us see what could evolve.
The she-ape returned again and again to the safety of the water, learning to swim, a pattern that is inborn in every human today. A young child, one that cannot even walk, can instinctively swim. This programming did not come from eons on grasslands. Another thing that happened to the apes, is something else we, as humans, have in common with all water living mammals. our body hair has become sparse, remaining only in places that have need of friction cushioning effects. The light coat of hair remaining, follows a pattern of water flowing over our bodies when we swim. The only place there is no great absence of body hair is on the head. it must be also noted that although many men become bald, there is little evidence that the same holds true for women. Why should this be? One state of women that can't be discounted is motherhood. Hair from the top of the head, spreads out in water like a safety net, enabling the very young swimmers to hold onto something while building up confidence.
As many of you know, staying in water for long periods can be chilling. Another thing that was developed in humans which is shared with other water mammals, a layer of subcutaneous fat, a layer of insulation which rounds the sharp angles in humans, but does not appear in other species of apes. This layer of fat is especially abundant in the female breast. The female breasts of the other apes are long and thin, actually nothing more than elongated nipples. The same holds true for other sea mammals. What makes human females different? Humans have hands made for grabbing and holding on. What better for a young child, swimming about in the sea and hungry, to hold onto, and they float too.
Food was abundant along the sea shore. The apes that were generally fructivorus in the forests, turned omnivorous on the plains, eating not only low growing fruits, but also grains and insects, found little trouble adapting to eating the small shrimps and crabs. Even fish could be trapped without too much effort, and the large amphibians, turtles, seals and the like, were slow and clumsy on land, easy to kill and eventually became another source of food. The ability of apes to climb, provided more food. By climbing the ledges of the sea shore, birds and eggs added to their diet. It is reasoned by some that tactile senses of the human fingertips was developed by the apes foraging in the shallow and murky waters.
In these waters were larger shellfish resembling mussels, oysters and lobsters. The males of the species, having longer canine teeth, were able to crush the shells and open then to get at the juicy meat inside. The female, lacking the long teeth and powerful jaws had to rely on help from the male or come up with something different to help her. Thus the first tools were born.
A universal tool of early "man", is a pebble with a sharpened edge, not just any rock, but a round smooth stone, the kind found around the sea shores. These pebbles have a sharpened side with which to pry and cut, similar to the function of canine teeth.
Since most of the time was spent in the water, the natural stance would be upright. The buoyancy of the apes in the water, gave greater ease in learning to stand erect. Most of the time the feet were used for walking instead of gripping. Naturally the prehensile large toe moved to the front to help in walking and made it easier to swim, becoming more of a flipper than a hand.
Another thing cane from swimming: our noses. All of the apes have their nasal openings to the front. This is good if you stay only on land. in the water it is different. Unless valves are developed, water will enter the nasal passages. Humans have adapted by having the skin and cartilage form a streamlined covering over these frontal passages. Water can still enter, but the way is made more difficult. Please note that among swimming mammals that do not now live in the water, humans are the only ones that swim face down in the water, rather than doing the "dog paddle" like other animals.
Humans are said to be the only animal that cries. Humans are not the only ones. All sea mammals have the ability to tear. although we have to speculate as to sorrow in animals, it can be shown that when normal tearing occurs in the sea animals, the flow increases markedly when they are alarmed, frightened or otherwise emotionally agitated.
Let us now turn to another part of the anatomy that is very different in humans. it can be imagined that the shore line was rocky, especially in the caves that dot many shores and made very hospitable homes for the apes. The rocks are very uncomfortable to sit on, especially for the pregnant or nursing mothers. There were no boughs or trees too sit upon, no grassy plains or mossy forest floors, only gritty sand and rocks. We already mentioned the development of the fatty tissues, and it seem only natural that these tissues developed where they would be needed most, in the adult female. Take a look around you, children and men have relatively small buttocks and women have well developed posteriors. Why would it be more developed in the female? For beauty? Beauty is a quality which is developed after the fact. The primary purpose of posterior padding is utilitarian, beauty comes in as second place. Today we find that in puberty, changes take place in humans which are utilitarian. In the female, rapid growth of fatty tissues in the breasts and buttocks, increase in hair in areas soon to be used for procreation, areas of friction. In males, in addition to the hair development, the size of the penis size increases.
As we said before, the buttocks of human females increase in size at the time that they are able to conceive. Most other animals copulate with the male mounting from the rear. if the penis remained small, and the buttocks grew, there would be few offspring. Two things evolved as a result of this: the male evolved aa, longer penis in relation to the other apes, and frontal copulation was learned. The longer penis was required because the vagina retreated further into the female body. This probably cam as a result of sitting on the sand and grit, and provided protection for the sexual reproductive system. Another thing peculiar to human females is the hymen, which reduced the contamination of the vagina even more.
Referring back to the beginning quote, we can see now the reason for the lack of fossils of our early ancestors. They lived, loved and died in the primordial seas. The seas that saw the birth of life, has now hidden the records of our forbearers. Maybe sometime in the future, some underwater archaeologists will discover a way to excavate the ocean floor in just the right spot and our long lost ancestors will again see the light of day and contribute much, much more to our history.
Thus we can see the importance of the female of our species, in our evolution into human beings. From the beginning of time, the Mother principle, the feminine ability to adapt, is directly responsible f or our being here. The ancients knew this. This is the reason that the feminine aspect is worshipped today among the Neo-Pagan community and why it was worshiped eons ago, as the prime object of veneration. Even the Patriarchal religions, which degrade females, venerates the Mother. Christianity, formed from the doctrines of Paul, the master Chauvinist, still venerates Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Hidden among the Christian scriptures, a name hearkens back to our past in the dawning of time, the name Mary, for Mary or Mari has the same meaning as Aphrodite, Ishtar, Isis and others: "born of sea foam, from the sea".
Ref: "The Descent of Woman" - Elaine Morgan
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