alsih2o
First Post
http://www.asu.edu/asunews/research/Turner-bones_111202.html
has some groovy details about giant hyenas (no, they aren't statted out
)....
"Prehistoric hyenas are generally considered to be the most dangerous non-human animal in the late Pleistocene period. About the size of contemporary wolves, ancient hyenas may have hunted in packs as large as 40 to 50 animals, and as the ultimate scavenger, may easily have taken over a big game kill from human hunters.
“In addition to climate-related restrictions to human occupation of Northern Siberia, we have wondered whether the presence of hyena packs, and probably other large carnivores, played a significant role in limiting human northward expansion into the western Bering Straits region until the domestication of dogs that might have aided in the defense of marauding hyena packs,” said Turner.
A dog skull that dates back 14,000 years found in the Siberian Altai Mountains called Razboinichiya Cave supports this theory.
The relationship between ancient human and beast is a cornerstone to solving this puzzle.
“The Russian literature has not paid much attention to the damage that animals can do to bone,” Turner said. “Given the large amount of bone that has been recovered [and believed to be associated with ancient hyenas] from the severity of destructiveness, even to very large herbivores, we are beginning to think more critically about ancient man-hyena relationships,” he said."
pretty cool stuff, anybody have a decent game mechanic for broken bones?
has some groovy details about giant hyenas (no, they aren't statted out

"Prehistoric hyenas are generally considered to be the most dangerous non-human animal in the late Pleistocene period. About the size of contemporary wolves, ancient hyenas may have hunted in packs as large as 40 to 50 animals, and as the ultimate scavenger, may easily have taken over a big game kill from human hunters.
“In addition to climate-related restrictions to human occupation of Northern Siberia, we have wondered whether the presence of hyena packs, and probably other large carnivores, played a significant role in limiting human northward expansion into the western Bering Straits region until the domestication of dogs that might have aided in the defense of marauding hyena packs,” said Turner.
A dog skull that dates back 14,000 years found in the Siberian Altai Mountains called Razboinichiya Cave supports this theory.
The relationship between ancient human and beast is a cornerstone to solving this puzzle.
“The Russian literature has not paid much attention to the damage that animals can do to bone,” Turner said. “Given the large amount of bone that has been recovered [and believed to be associated with ancient hyenas] from the severity of destructiveness, even to very large herbivores, we are beginning to think more critically about ancient man-hyena relationships,” he said."
pretty cool stuff, anybody have a decent game mechanic for broken bones?