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For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact

blogs.smithsonianmag.com

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Re: For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact

#11

Post by jere »

georgecmu wrote: post #4

Lacking guns and even bows, they could hunt only by digging traps or pursuing prey across the mountains until the animals collapsed from exhaustion. It's interesting that they stumbled on the persistence hunting technique so naturally. Indirect evidence to support the Endurance running hypothesis ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis ).

I thought the same thing and was especially shocked that the technique could ever be used in the Siberian taiga (both because of the cold and the dense vegetation). Compare this to a quote from the above wikipedia article "Scientists, posit that early tracking methods were developed in open, sparsely vegetated terrain such as the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa."

Between the barefoot hunting and the persistence hunting, this story seems like it's tailor made for Born to Run.

Re: For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact

#12

Post by unreal37 »

vardoger wrote: post #5

It's absolutely astonishing to me that there could still be people out there, even in what's termed wilderness, who have never encountered the modernities of the society we inhabit - that for an all but unknown few the world is still just what lies outside their front door. I feel true sadness for the Lykov's, being 'discovered', then somewhat forced by the intrusion of others to be aware of their greater surrounding…

There is also at least one tribe in South America that has never been contacted by the outside world.

http://www.uncontactedtribes.org/brazilfootage

Re: For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact

#14

Post by buf »

georgecmu wrote: post #4

Lacking guns and even bows, they could hunt only by digging traps or pursuing prey across the mountains until the animals collapsed from exhaustion. It's interesting that they stumbled on the persistence hunting technique so naturally. Indirect evidence to support the Endurance running hypothesis ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis ).

Very interesting hypothesis.

Re: For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact

#15

Post by kenjackson »

As a boy there was a common game that friends would play, which was -- if Newton were to come back today, what technology would he be most shocked about.

I found this quote interesting, and I think shows how hard it may be to predict such things:

"What amazed him most of all," Peskov recorded, "was a transparent cellophane package. 'Lord, what have they thought up—it is glass, but it crumples!'"

Re: For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact

#16

Post by jusben1369 »

georgecmu wrote: post #4

Lacking guns and even bows, they could hunt only by digging traps or pursuing prey across the mountains until the animals collapsed from exhaustion. It's interesting that they stumbled on the persistence hunting technique so naturally. Indirect evidence to support the Endurance running hypothesis ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis ).

The other main predator that also hunts in this fashion? Wolves/dogs. There's a theory that it was this overlap in hunting styles that made us natural "partners" and led to the close relationship we have today.

Re: For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact

#18

Post by masklinn »

georgecmu wrote: post #4

Lacking guns and even bows, they could hunt only by digging traps or pursuing prey across the mountains until the animals collapsed from exhaustion. It's interesting that they stumbled on the persistence hunting technique so naturally. Indirect evidence to support the Endurance running hypothesis ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis ).

On the other hand, I guess they did not know/had not rediscovered tanning, because

> A couple of kettles served them well for many years, but when rust finally overcame them, the only replacements they could fashion came from birch bark. Since these could not be placed in a fire, it became far harder to cook.

they did not replace their kettles by a leather cauldron.

Re: For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact

#19

Post by jusben1369 »

jere wrote: post #11
georgecmu wrote: post #4

Lacking guns and even bows, they could hunt only by digging traps or pursuing prey across the mountains until the animals collapsed from exhaustion. It's interesting that they stumbled on the persistence hunting technique so naturally. Indirect evidence to support the Endurance running hypothesis ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis ).

I thought the same thing and was especially shocked that the technique could ever be used in the Siberian taiga (both because of the cold and the dense vegetation). Compare this to a quote from the above wikipedia article "Scientists, posit that early tracking methods were developed in open, sparsely vegetated terrain such as the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa." Between the barefoot hunting and the persistence hu…

Well it's an endurance method vs a distance method. "Run your prey ragged" I guess. You could do that on steep mountainsides just as quickly (perhaps even more quickly) than open plains. You'd just need to not lose site/sound of them in the dense forest which should be doable.

Re: For 40 Years, This Russian Family Was Cut Off From All Human Contact

#20

Post by resatori »

pav3l wrote: post #8
georgecmu wrote: post #4

Lacking guns and even bows, they could hunt only by digging traps or pursuing prey across the mountains until the animals collapsed from exhaustion. It's interesting that they stumbled on the persistence hunting technique so naturally. Indirect evidence to support the Endurance running hypothesis ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endurance_running_hypothesis ).

Whoever is interested, here are two very good academic articles about persistent hunting (subscription required): http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/508695 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047248408... Also, here is a video of a modern persistent hunter http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=826HMLoiE_o

How do they bring the prey home after hunting it 30km?
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