Neanderthals were making ‘art’ in Europe’s Unicorn Cave

[FfFfFfFF 58,065]

When Thomas Terberger and Dirk Leder—archaeologists at the University of Göttingen who direct excavations at Unicorn Cave—saw the incised knuckle bone, they were impressed but not surprised. Research in and around the cave since 2014 has turned up ample tools and artifacts showing that its caverns were used by early modern humans and their Neanderthal ancestors. The archaeologists assumed the bone was a decorative piece carved by an Ice-Age human, not a Neanderthal, and that radiocarbon dating would likely support their assumption.

In a paper published today in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution, an international team of researchers report that radiocarbon dating shows the carving is at least 51,000 years old, meaning it was created at least a thousand years before modern humans arrived there. (Modern humans are believed to have entered this part of Europe no more than 45,000 to 50,000 years ago.)

The authors argue the bone could have been carved only by Neanderthals, and that it represents the first time Neanderthal symbolic expression—some call it art—has been directly dated. The discovery gives researchers reason to reevaluate the old assumption that Neanderthals were incapable of creativity or complex thought.

“It’s an idea, a planned motif that you have in your mind and translate into reality,” Terberger says, referring to the pattern on the bone. “It’s the start of culture, the start of abstract thinking, the birth of art.”

 

The bone belonged to a giant deer, Megaloceros giganteus, a behemoth that stood seven feet at the shoulder, weighed as much as a small car, and was rarely found north of the Alps. Giant deer went extinct more than 7,000 years ago, so Leder and University of Göttingen experimental archaeologist Raphael Hermann sourced fresh cow bones—a close match—and replica flint blades.

After weeks of experimentation, they determined that the carvings were best replicated on bone that was repeatedly boiled and dried, and that each cut took at least 10 minutes to carve and used up one or two valuable flint blades. “A lot of process and thinking went into this,” says Hermann.

Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/were-neanderthals-making-art-europe-unicorn-cave?

[Mother of Puppies 36,615]

My ARTCAVE could mean anything

[Queen Gloria 3,464]

I bet it was an artsy gay hunty who was like "Yassss, someone's gonna find this someday and see my f*cking masterpiece!". Not in English of course, just grunts. But it meant the same thing. 

[LilMonst3r 5,681]

It funny how scientists act so surprised that early hominids were artistic or could do what we do now days when it comes to certain aspects of our daily living. Like sometimes it amazes me how stupid or mundane scientists think early hominids were.

[GAYHEMikey 8,237]

Omg the promo for ARTPOP was better than we thought 

[GAYHEMikey 8,237]

23 minutes ago, MotherOfPuppies said:

My ARTCAVE could mean anything

[Bonkers 30,860]

Every time I go to Mississippi, I'm amazed to see what Neanderthals can do.  They even have a Whole Foods!

[Stupid Oreo 14,669]

24 minutes ago, Bonkers said:

Every time I go to Mississippi, I'm amazed to see what Neanderthals can do.  They even have a Whole Foods!

people from mississippi rn 

their fARTPOP could mean anything

[Guest]

Until we killed them all