Julian Dorey Podcast #367 - "Groundbreaking!" - 1 Million Yr-old Skulls, Egyptian Labyrinth & Ancient DNA | Michael Button
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Dec 19, 2025 
Michael Button, a British ancient historian and popular YouTuber, dives into the depths of prehistory. He discusses groundbreaking findings like the million-year-old Dragon Man skull and the implications for our understanding of human origins. The conversation challenges the traditional timeline of symbolic intelligence and explores the intelligence of Neanderthals and Denisovans. They also unpack mysteries like Göbekli Tepe and debate the definitions of civilization, while revealing how ancient technologies might not be as hidden as once thought.
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Symbolic Thought Built Big Society
- Symbolic intelligence (shared myths) enables large-scale cooperation unlike any other animal.
- Button disputes the idea this cognitive leap only appeared ~50,000 years ago, citing older symbolic artifacts.
Finding Göbekli Tepe Outside The Syllabus
- Michael discovered Göbekli Tepe on his own while at university because it wasn't taught in his ancient history course.
- He found academia reluctant to integrate disruptive prehistory into traditional curricula.
Göbekli Tepe Suggests Pre-Agrarian Complexity
- Göbekli Tepe's megaliths and shared regional sites imply specialization and surplus pre-dating agriculture.
- Button expects this Turquoise-Age culture will be reclassified from 'culture' to 'civilization' over time.
