TRACES OF HIDDEN TECHNOLOGY REVEAL THE PRESENCE OF SKILLED CARPENTERS

TRACES OF HIDDEN TECHNOLOGY REVEAL THE PRESENCE OF SKILLED CARPENTERS

Traces of “hidden” technology reveal that Neanderthals were skilled woodworkers
As the pieces themselves eroded, amazingly detailed imprints were left in the mineral deposits.
Traces of nearly 600 wooden artifacts were discovered at a Neanderthal site in Spain, where an island with a castle is for sale near Madrid . This suggests that members of this extinct human species possessed woodworking skills no less skilled than stone toolmaking, according to The Daily Galaxy .

Preserved as mineral imprints, these traces reveal a side of Neanderthal life that is rarely revealed to this day.

“We call this era the Stone Age because stone tools are the most common finds at sites from that time. However, more than 40,000 years ago, people’s arsenal included more than just stones: Neanderthals and other ancient humans apparently also actively made wooden tools,” the article states.
The problem is that wood decomposes, so it rarely survives long enough for archaeologists to discover it. This is why the Abric Romaní site near Barcelona is so important: here, wooden tools left their imprints in mineral deposits.

A study published in the journal Science Advances details the findings made by scientists at the site.

The place where the tree left its mark
Interestingly, in Abric-Romani, wooden objects crafted by Neanderthals were coated with a calcium carbonate crust. As the objects themselves deteriorated, remarkably detailed imprints were left in the mineral deposits. To date, researchers have analyzed 597 such imprints and wood fragments.
According to the study’s author, Dr. Palmira Saladier of the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution, hearths, stone tools, and the remains of animals butchered by Neanderthals were also found at the site.

The totality of these findings allows scientists to understand not only what Neanderthals did, but also how they organized their living space, used fire and other resources, and how their daily lives were organized.

Spears, poles and containers made of bark
Importantly, the researchers identified 13 types of wooden artifacts among the finds, including tools, weapons, household items, and structural elements. These artifacts range in age from 62,000 to 40,000 years old, indicating that woodworking was an integral part of Neanderthal behavior and survival strategies.

Most of the discovered objects were made of Scots pine. Among the finds were two hunting spears, 1.99 meters and 2.45 meters long. Crossed wooden poles, which may have served as tripods for cooking over a fire, were also discovered. A 5.1-meter-long wooden object may have been part of a dwelling structure; the researchers also found containers and trays made of bark.
A unique item that has no analogues
Perhaps the most unusual find was a wooden object with a handle and a thickened pommel—an artifact unlike any other object known from prehistoric sites. Saladiye explained:

“It could have been used as a hammer or a striking weapon, as a secondary weapon for hunting or during conflicts between people. It is also possible that it played a symbolic role—perhaps this object indicated a person’s status in a group. However, these are just guesses, not proven uses.”

She emphasized that these are merely possible theories, not a definitive determination of the object’s purpose. In other words, its exact purpose remains an open question. Summarizing the significance of the work, Saladié noted that the Abric Romaní site suggests that woodwork played an important role: it was diverse, functionally flexible, and adapted to a wide range of needs, from hunting to cooking.

“Such practical versatility and adaptability are qualities we can easily recognize in ourselves. This allows us to gain a more complete understanding of Neanderthal technologies—a significant portion of which, as a rule, is not preserved in the archaeological record,” the scientist added.
Archaeology News
It was previously reported that a cache of 142 unbaked clay beads from Natufian sites in Israel pushes the origins of jewelry making back thousands of years.

Fifty fingerprints of children, adolescents, and adults are preserved on them. The beads and prints provide insight into who created these objects .

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