Ancient human ancestors adorned bones with art more than 50,000 years in the past.
Article Title: Neanderthals' Artistic Abilities Unveiled by 51,000-Year-Old Carved Bone Discovery
In a groundbreaking discovery, a team of researchers led by Professor Thomas Terberger of the University of Goettingen and Dr Dirk Leder of the Lower Saxony State Office for Heritage have unearthed a 51,000-year-old carved bone from a giant deer in the Unicorn Cave in the Harz Mountains. This ancient artefact, dated back to the Neanderthal period, challenges the previous perception of Neanderthals as primitive hominins, suggesting they had remarkable cognitive abilities.
The carved bone, the oldest decorated object in Lower Saxony and one of the most important finds from the Neanderthal period in Central Europe, was discovered during excavations in 2019. The project was funded by the Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture, with the team involving researchers from the Technical University of Braunschweig, the universities of Kiel and Tübingen, as well as the University of Goettingen.
The excavation was led by Dr Dirk Leder of the Lower Saxony State Office for Heritage, and was carried out in collaboration with the University of Goettingen and the Unicornu Fossile society. The carving process involved boiling the bone first and using stone tools, which took approximately 1.5 hours.
The discovery was published in the prestigious journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, under the title "A 51,000-year-old engraved bone reveals Neanderthals' artistic abilities." The study, which can be accessed via the DOI 10.1038/s41559-021-01487-z, suggests that Neanderthals had the ability to create ornaments, indicating a level of creativity and cognitive complexity not previously attributed to them.
The carved bone, which is the first directly dated object that can be attributed to Neanderthals, provides a significant addition to our understanding of the Neanderthal period. The identification of the bone as coming from a giant deer may indicate that Neanderthals chose significant animals for their carvings.
For more information about the study or the researchers involved, please contact:
- Professor Thomas Terberger at [email protected] or visit his university webpage at http://www.uni-goettingen.de/en/prof.+dr.+thomas+terberger/570533.html
- Dr Dirk Leder at +49 (0)511 92 55 303
The findings have generated international interest, providing a milestone in our understanding of Neanderthal culture and cognitive abilities. The study underscores the importance of ongoing archaeological research, particularly in the Harz Mountains, where such significant discoveries continue to be made.
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