A groundbreaking discovery in Maltravieso Cave, positioned in Extremadura, Spain, is shaking up our understanding of the origins of artwork. These historic hand stencils, dated to no less than 66,710 years in the past, counsel that Neanderthals—not Homo sapiens—could have been the world’s first artists.
A Game-Changing Breakthrough in Dating Techniques
To decide the age of those gorgeous works, researchers turned to a cutting-edge courting technique involving uranium-thorium evaluation. By measuring the decay of uranium trapped within the calcium carbonate layer overlaying the work, the crew, led by Alistair W.G. Pike of the University of Southampton, pinpointed their minimal age.
Co-author Paul B. Pettitt, in an article revealed within the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, declared, “These findings clearly present that Neanderthals had superior cognitive skills, on par with Homo sapiens.”
Highlights from the Study
Here’s what makes these findings so extraordinary:
- Location: Maltravieso Cave, Extremadura, Spain.
- Technique: Hand stencils created by blowing pigment round palms pressed to the cave wall.
- Age: A minimal of 66,710 years, making them the oldest stencils of their form.
- Research Team: Led by Alistair W.G. Pike and Paul B. Pettitt of the University of Southampton.
- Comparison: Far older than the earlier record-holder, Indonesia’s Leang Timpuseng Cave (39,900 years).
This discovery strengthens the case that Neanderthals, not Homo sapiens, pioneered creative expression.
H. Collado
The Stencil Technique: Neanderthal Ingenuity
The hand stencils in MThe hand stencils in Maltravieso Cave stand out for his or her technical precision and symbolic depth. Researchers imagine they have been created utilizing mineral pigments, probably blown by way of a hole reed or instantly from the mouth, to stipulate palms positioned in opposition to the rock.
Why These Stencils Matter
- Symbolism: The deliberate placement and repetition counsel a deeper, symbolic that means past mere ornament.
- Skill: Achieving correct, detailed outlines required important management over the pigment utility.
- Durability: The use of mineral pigments ensured the artworks survived for tens of hundreds of years.
How Maltravieso Compares to Other Ancient Sites
| Site | Location | Dating | Technique | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maltravieso | Extremadura, Spain | 66,710 years (min) | Hand stencils (blown pigment) | Neanderthal |
| Leang Timpuseng | Sulawesi, Indonesia | 39,900 years (min) | Hand stencils (blown pigment) | Homo sapiens |
| Tibetan Plateau | Tibet | ~200,000 years* | Hand/foot traces (mud) | Unknown |
*Dating stays contested for the Tibetan Plateau website.
With Maltravieso’s stencils, Neanderthals stand out as innovators in artwork, predating Homo sapiens’ creative contributions by tens of hundreds of years.
Rethinking Neanderthal Culture
Maltravieso’s findings are a part of a rising physique of proof suggesting that Neanderthals weren’t the unsophisticated brutes they have been as soon as regarded as. Recent discoveries reveal they possessed superior cognitive and technical expertise, together with:
- Adhesive expertise: Neanderthals developed a course of to create pitch from birchbark, a complicated adhesive used for hafting instruments.
- Symbolic use of pigments: Other websites in Europe present proof of Neanderthals utilizing ochre for physique ornament and symbolic functions.
- Burial rituals: In some areas, Neanderthals buried their useless with grave items, indicating religious or symbolic habits.
According to Dr. Pettitt, “We’re seeing a sample of habits that factors to Neanderthals as advanced, clever beings able to summary thought.”
Did Sapiens Learn from Neanderthals?
One of probably the most intriguing implications of the Maltravieso discoveries is the opportunity of cultural transmission between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. When early trendy people arrived in Europe, they could have encountered caves already adorned with Neanderthal artwork. Observing these creations might have impressed Homo sapiens to undertake related strategies, akin to hand stenciling and the usage of mineral pigments.
If this principle holds true, it could mark one of many first identified examples of cross-species cultural affect, essentially altering how we perceive the connection between these two human species.
Art because the Universal Language
Maltravieso Cave forces us to rethink what it means to be human. Art, it appears, is just not distinctive to Homo sapiens however a shared heritage that connects us to our closest evolutionary cousins. Neanderthals, removed from being evolutionary useless ends, emerge as visionary creators who helped form the course of human historical past.
This discovery is only the start. As researchers proceed to discover websites like Maltravieso, new insights will undoubtedly deepen our understanding of Neanderthals and their profound contributions to human tradition.
