Neanderthals Were Adept Woodworkers Too
But most of their work has been lost The post Neanderthals Were Adept Woodworkers Too appeared first on Nautilus .
Neanderthals, often portrayed as primitive cavemen wielding clubs, actually demonstrated remarkable technological prowess, as evidenced by the discovery of various wooden tools in Abric Romaní, a cliffside settlement in Spain inhabited by them between 70,000 and 39,000 years ago. Preservation by travertine incrustation has allowed researchers to find detailed impressions of nearly 600 wooden objects, offering invaluable insights into the lives of these distant relatives.
Beyond flint-based instruments like scrapers, axes, and knives, Neanderthals crafted delicate items such as bark trays with depressions resembling plates. Their toolkit also included Scots pine firewood, a tripod structure possibly serving as a windbreak, pointed sticks possibly used as spears or digging tools, and a remarkable wooden club, described as "the most exceptional wooden object identified in the assemblage to date."
Measuring about a foot long, the club featured a distinctive handle with a slightly flared base, and a curved, slightly extended blade, suggesting it was used for striking. While its exact purpose remains uncertain, similar clubs are utilized by contemporary hunter-gatherer tribes for various activities, including interpersonal violence, hunting, and fishing.
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