Mammoth task

PICTURE THE SCENE. A GIANT, hairy mammoth is fleeing from a trio of stupid but deadly cavemen, about to launch their crude, stone-tipped spears. Set against the glacial backdrop of frozen, towering walls so characteristic of the ice age, the drama plays out as a sabre-toothed tiger silently pads by.

It’s a scene so many of us are familiar with, but one that is almost entirely inaccurate in almost every possible sense. First, not all mammoths were giants, or even very hairy, for that matter. During their time on Earth, mammoths came in all shapes, sizes and flavours. Second, the widely used term ‘caveman’ is one no self respecting palaeontologist, anthropologist or archaeologist would ever use to describe any one of our numerous human ancestors or ancient relatives. Third, the tools and weapons these people used were anything but crude in their often-delicate and aesthetically pleasing designs.

The ‘ice age’ is another phrase that has been so widely used that it has long since ceased