Scientists have found that markings on a cave wall in France were deliberately made by Neanderthals more than 57,000 years ago.
To date, only a small handful of symbolic creations have been attributed to Neanderthals, and the interpretation of these is often fiercely debated. But in thestudy, the authors conclude that the engravings from La Roche-Cotard cave are"unambiguous examples of abstract Neanderthal design."
The team of researchers analyzed the cave markings and created 3D models. They also compared them with known and experimental human markings. Given the shape, spacing and arrangement of the engravings, the scientists concluded that the markings were most likely deliberately produced by human hands in an organized and intentional manner.
Examples of engravings discovered in the Roche-Cotard cave. Scientists have identified markings in the cave as the oldest known Neanderthal cave engravings.Using a specialized dating method, the team also found that following ancient human occupation of the cave, the entrance was sealed off by sediments around 57,000 years ago—long before modern humans had established themselves in the region.
The sealing off of the cave prevented anyone from accessing it until its discovery in the 19th century and its first excavation in the early 20th century. This dating evidence, combined with the fact that stone tools found in the cave are of a type only associated with Neanderthals, provides strong evidence that the engravings on the wall were made byThe symbols documented in the study are considered to be"non-figurative" so what they represent and the meaning or intent behind them is unclear.in other parts of the world.
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