Long underestimated, Neanderthals are being gradually revived by scientists thanks to new archaeological discoveries that show that this human race also had strong cognitive abilities. This new study suggests that Neanderthals may have been the first artists in human history.
The ability to create artistic work is surely one of the great qualities that defines humanity. Although art can be expressed in a variety of ways today, little is known about its origins. However, the oldest evidence that we know to date are the paintings and engravings on the cave walls. A number of decorative caves dot the European continent, most of which are representational works (animals, human figures, or abstract figures). A wise manA wise man. However, the question of the origin of art has been raised for a long time. Were Sapiens the only one who developed the capacity for abstraction that artistic creation requires? Previous studies suggest no.
The markings found on the walls of the Spanish caves suggest this. NeanderthalNeanderthal Long before the arrival of sapiens on European soil, the first acts of humanity would have been outlined. However, this is a controversial hypothesis, due to the difficulty of dating these ancient paintings with certainty. The pigments used are in fact only of mineral origin, making radiocarbon dating impossible.
A first date that was banned.
To estimate the age of the paintings, the researchers therefore had to use another dating method, based on two products trapped in a layer of uranium-238. Calcium CarbonateCalcium Carbonate Covered with valuable paintings. Although accurate, this uranium-thorium dating technique nevertheless exhibits a certain variability that makes its results uncertain. A date of 64,800 years was thus obtained and therefore remained to be constrained.
So a new analysis was done on the handprints. The stencilThe stencil Which we observe in Maltraveso Cave in Spain. Twenty-two carbonate samples covering the cave paintings were analyzed using the uranium-thorium dating method. And the results agree with previous studies: the minimum age obtained here for the scarred hands is 66,710 years, again suggesting that Neanderthals may indeed be the origin of these representations. The data was published in the journal Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
Neanderthal, Inventor of the Stencil Technique?
This would also make these stencil paintings the oldest known of their kind. The previous record was held by Liang Tampuseng Cave on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, which had a minimum age of 39,900 years. 200,000-year-old hand and footprints have been identified on the Tibetan Plateau, but their artistic nature is still debated. They appear to have really been made of clay, which raises doubts about the author’s artistic intentions as opposed to the stencil technique.
The new dating at Maltraviso Cave supports the idea that Neanderthals could have been the first artists in human history.A wise man He is not the only one who possesses the cognitive skills necessary for artistic expression.
Hence the stencil technique would be a Neanderthal invention which later A wise manperhaps from observing the old paintings in the caves he himself occupied. Could Neanderthals have been the inspiration for sapiens’ actions? This is his good reward. SpeciesSpecies Humans have been underestimated for so long.