Neanderthal Symbolism

Archeologists have long been convinced that only modern humans (Homo sapiens) were capable of complex symbolic behavior, such as creating art or jewelry, or engaging in rituals.

Now, growing evidence is suggesting that Neanderthals also developed symbolic behavior independently, at around the same time as H. sapiens, New Atlas explained.  

After more than two years of research, archaeologists have found the oldest Neanderthal fingerprint and think the meaning behind it is highly symbolic.  

The fingerprint, in the form of a red ochre dot on a granite stone, dates back almost 43,000 years. It was discovered in 2022 at the Abrigo de San Lázaro archeological site in central Spain.  

Archaeologists hypothesize that the rock represented a human face with eyes, mouth, and nose to the Neanderthal who found it, brought it inside the rock shelter, and deliberately placed the ochre dot on it after dipping their finger in ochre pigment. They add that it was likely placed at the center of the rock to highlight the nose ridge, while two smaller pits serve as the eyes, and a larger pit serves as the mouth. 

The team said that the dot was deliberately applied to complete the image of a human face and that it is, so far, the oldest representation of portable art associated with Neanderthals, they wrote in an article on their discovery in the Conversation.  

“This object contributes to our understanding of Neanderthals’ capacity for abstraction, suggesting that it could represent one of the earliest human facial symbolizations in Prehistory,” the authors wrote in their study. 

Meanwhile, at the same site hosting the fingerprint, the team found 23 pebbles, generally used as tools. However, analysis using electron microscopy (SEM) and multispectral analysis revealed the fingerprint, which would have otherwise been invisible to the naked eye. It also showed that the one stone with the red dot was manipulated for decorative purposes. 

Through multispectral techniques and forensic identification, researchers confirmed that the mark came from a human and was not the result of the decomposition of minerals in the granite itself.  

The behavior of interpreting the natural features of an inanimate object as mimicking facial traits is called face pareidolia. It’s a sophisticated cognitive process, and some scientists believe it offered evolutionary advantages by heightening social interaction.