This morning Mick Vernon alerted us to some new actualistic research on Palaeoanthropologica, the Facebook group begun by Charles T. G. Clarke M.Sc.
Arilla M, Rosell J, Blasco R, Domínguez-Rodrigo M, Pickering TR (2014) The “Bear” Essentials: Actualistic Research on Ursus arctos arctos in the Spanish Pyrenees and Its Implications for Paleontology and Archaeology. PLoS ONE 9(7): e102457. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0102457
Having spent some time with dead bears, and with thoughts of what live bears are capable of doing to bone, I thought I'd have a look. And, as is my wont, I scanned the references first of all, to see what I had missed in the decade and a half since I published Cave Bears and Modern Human Origins.*
When what to my wondering eyes appeared?
we remain cautious about well-known interpretations that fossil LLB diaphyseal specimens from the Middle Pleistocene cave sites of Yarimburgaz (Turkey) [31]–[33], Troskaeta (Spain) [36], [89] and Divje Babe (Slovenia) [54] were punctured by extinct cave bears during the course of cannibalistic feeding.
The numbers in square brackets are others' publications, which presumably contain the problematic inferences these authors are referring to. Cave Bears and Modern Human Origins is reference [89].
I have but one, teensy, weensy, issue with their statement.
I. Never. Made. The. Erroneous. Inference. That. They. Attribute. To. Me! N.E.V.E.R!!!
So, I sat me down, and wrote me a letter to the communicating author, one Ruth Blasco, of the Gibraltar Museum, colleague of Clive Finlayson, its director—he of the feathered Neanderthals fame—and her co-author of Travis Rayne Pickering—whose work I have pilloried several times in these pages, most notably the inferences of controlled fire us at Wonderwerk Cave.
Here is what I wrote.
Dear Ms. Blasco,
I’ve just discovered your new paper via Palaeoanthropologica, on Facebook. I’ll read it with much interest. But that’s not my reason for writing.
As you’re clearly aware, I’ve had something to say about taphonomy and bears, so I was scanning the list of references to see what I’d missed over the decade and a half since I published Cave bears and modern human origins.
I have to admit I was surprised to find my book in your references. But I was more surprised to find the context in which you made reference to my work. I’m not unused to having my work misunderstood, to say nothing of ignored, or worse, misrepresented. But seldom have I had words put in my mouth!
I have never. N.e.v.e.r. made the inference you assign to me. I don't even mention Troskaeta. I’d never heard of it until this morning.
As you might imagine, I’m a bit sensitive about what people think of my work. Having them think that my basic inferences are mistaken will not help at all with the impression that my peers already have of me.
I would hope that you, your co-authors, and PLOS ONE could come to some arrangement, immediately, about signalling to your readers that you’ve made an error in citing me in this fashion. In the meantime, my own readers will be alerted in the very near future.
With best wishes,
Rob
I thought that was rather understated. Temperate. Professional. But firm. Just the right tone.
But I'm so pissed I could spit.
But I'm so pissed I could spit.
