Neanderthals were the first humans in Europe to use specialised bone tools.
The discovery suggests a higher level of complexity in Neanderthal society and could even mean that modern humans learnt from Neanderthals, instead of the other way around.
Excavations in the Dordogne region in the south-west of France found four fragments of Neanderthal bone tools used to treat leather. The discoveries date from between 51,000 to 41,000 thousand years ago, suggesting that the Neanderthals developed the tools independently of modern humans, who around 42,000 years ago.
The findings are described in a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on 12 August.
When modern humans arrived in Europe, things quickly went downhill for Neanderthals, another species of human that lived in Europe. From 30,000 years ago onwards, Neanderthals disappear from the archaeological record. Explanations for their demise range from mass genocide, climate change, or simply being out-competed for resources by more intelligent modern humans.
Neanderthal bone tools have been found before. However, when found before the arrival of modern humans they have been simple tools that replicate the functions of stone tools. This is the first discovery of specialised tools that have a unique function not found in stone tools.
Other discoveries have been dated to periods when modern humans had fully arrived in Europe, creating debate about whether they were developed by modern humans or Neanderthals. "Some have dismissed these innovations as wholly modern human-driven," says Eiluned Pearce, an anthropologist at the University of Oxford who was not involved in the research. "This research suggests that Neanderthals may have independently developed these tools much earlier."
Another explanation is that modern humans arrived in Europe even earlier than currently thought, but until archaeological evidence is found that explanation remains speculation.
More controversially, "[the findings] could also be evidence for cultural diffusion from Neanderthals to modern humans," write the authors of the study. "The suggestion that Neanderthals could have influenced the development of modern human bone tools is certainly an interesting one," says Pearce. "But as the authors say [later in the study], I don't think there's enough evidence at the moment to make that judgement".
Matthew Pope, an archaeologist at UCL who was also not involved in the research, points out that if it could be shown that there was a direct overlap between Neanderthal and modern human populations, "not all of the knowledge exchange need be one way".
The tools discovered are known as "lissoirs" and are used for making leather and animal skin smooth. In this case, it is believed that the bone used is deer bone. "[This discovery] shows us that Neanderthal populations were treating animal skins in a sophisticated way, using processes that make them smooth, lush and waterproof," says Pope. "This creating new possibilities for uses like clothing, shelter or containers." "Neanderthals are commonly thought to have had less advanced clothing than modern humans," notes Pearce. "We have none of the evidence of Neanderthals sewing that we have for modern humans, for example, so the fact that this research suggests that they were working leather is very interesting. Perhaps Neanderthals were making sophisticated clothing after all."
The dating of the tools is not entirely outside the period that we believe modern humans began arriving in Europe, which creates "the possibility for ambiguity" says Pope. "But we shouldn't be surprised to find Neanderthals developing specialised bone tools," he says, noting that bone tools readily decompose.
That the tools were preserved is as intriguing as what they tell us about Neanderthal development.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
