Neanderthals were more sophisticated at woodworking than previously believed

[guy]

 

Neanderthals were surprisingly sophisticated with their wood work.

Above is pictured a suspected club found at one of the excavation levels.

In 16 archaeological levels in Northeastern Spain dated between roughly 62,000 and 40,000 years ago, researchers identified nearly six hundred wooden imprints and charred remains. These include tools, weapons, and domestic items. This shows that Neanderthals engaged in more sophisticated woodworking tasks rather than only producing simple pointed sticks.
 

The presence of spears, shaped points, trays, tripods, and other crafted items demonstrates an ability to create sophisticated and varied items centered on wood.

Neanderthal material culture has been invisible due to poor preservation of organics.

Neanderthal woodworking was preserved at the Notheastern Spanish site of Abric Romaní because travertine deposits fossilized organic materials that normally decay.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aeh2287

 

[guidoLaMoto]

These artifacts are dated from ~ 65,000 to 40,000 y/a (H.neand. went extinct about then)....while the earliest evidence of H.sap in Europe dates to ~56,000y/a-- that means H.sap probably arrived even earlier than that (what's the chances the first evidence actually coincides with their first arrival?)...

...so, was the working of wood independently original with the neanderthals, or was it a matter of "monkey see, monkey do?"

Neandertals were probably smarter and more talented than we've been giving them credit for. They practiced ritual burial of their dead for at least 120,000 years and had brain case volume a little larger than the contemporary sapiens....There is evidence that they made flutes  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divje_Babe_flute Now if we just could find evidence that they had bongo drums too, we'd prove that they were the world's first Beatniks. (Yea, I'm old.)

Edited 1 hour ago by guidoLaMoto