Neanderthals, who lived approximately 130,000 years ago, were known for their intelligence and creativity. They crafted tools from the bones of cave lions and cave bears, showing adaptability by repurposing tools for different functions. A team of archaeologists led by Grégory Abrams from Ghent University in Belgium made this discovery in Scladina Cave.
The faunal assemblage in the cave provides evidence of bone tools crafted from cave lion remains. A tibia was deliberately processed into multifunctional tools, initially serving as an intermediate tool before being repurposed as retouchers. This demonstrates the Neanderthals’ ability to selectively exploit available resources and transform them into useful tools.
Scladina Cave has preserved 400,000 years of habitation, with layers dating back to around 130,000 years ago. The archaeologists found a variety of tools, mostly made of worked flint, indicating a sophisticated tool manufacturing process. Among the tools were bones used for retouching, with some bones identified as being from cave lions instead of cave bears.
Through proteomic analysis, it was revealed that one bone, believed to be from a cave bear, and several retouchers were actually made from cave lion bones. The researchers discovered that all four tools were crafted from the same cave lion tibia, with two of the tools fitting together perfectly.
The bones showed deliberate shaping for tool use, with signs of polishing from repeated handling. The refitted tibia exemplifies the intentional process of crafting tools by Neanderthals. The use of cave lion bones suggests a high level of adaptability and understanding of material properties.
The discovery at Scladina highlights the Neanderthals’ capacity to utilize resources efficiently and transform them into functional tools. This finding prompts a reevaluation of Neanderthal interactions with large carnivores, showing that these animals served practical and possibly symbolic purposes in Neanderthal lifeways.
The research has been published in Scientific Reports, shedding light on the ingenuity and resourcefulness of Neanderthals in crafting tools from the bones of their predators. The Evolution of Technology in the 21st Century
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