While it has been well-documented that Neanderthals used birch pitch as an adhesive and possibly for medicinal purposes, this study is the first to describe a structure aligned with theoretical models of anoxic heating - a more complex method for resin extraction.
The newly identified structure, a pit used for controlled, oxygen-limited heating, indicates deliberate planning and knowledge. By heating birch or prickly rockrose (cistus ladanifer) in an environment insulated from oxygen, Neanderthals could produce resin without combustion. This method required organized steps, underscoring their intellectual capacity.
A Team Effort to Decipher Ancient Techniques
Thirty-one researchers across 15 disciplines, including archaeology, geochemistry, mineralogy, and palaeobotany, contributed to the study. Through extensive analyses and experimental archaeology, the team confirmed the purpose of the pit structure found in Vanguard Cave, which is preserved thanks to rapid dune activity in the region.
The resin was likely sourced from rockrose plants, which were abundant in the Mediterranean at the time, rather than the less common birch trees. This aligns with historical uses of rockrose-derived oil, such as labdanum, which served as a perfume ingredient, cough remedy, and antiseptic into the 20th century.
Neanderthal Innovation Redefined
Fernando Muniz of the University of Seville emphasized, "Our extinct cousins were not the brutalized humans of popular imagination." Their mastery of industrial processes to create adhesives for tools and weaponry is a testament to their intelligence.
Clive Finlayson, the excavation manager, added, "Neanderthals had to go through a series of thought processes, choosing which plants to select and figuring out how to extract resin without burning them."
The study highlights the Neanderthals' capacity for experimentation and resourcefulness. Their techniques suggest an understanding of chemistry and mechanical properties beyond basic survival skills.
Broader Cultural Insights
Neanderthals are also credited with engaging in behaviors indicative of cultural complexity. Discoveries include signs of primitive art, feather collection for likely ceremonial use, and the burial of their dead. They crafted jewelry, specialized tools, and pigments like ochre, potentially for personal adornment.
In 2012, a hashtag-like mark discovered on limestone by Finlayson's team was interpreted as a form of primitive art. Other findings suggest Neanderthals utilized medicinal plants and possibly communicated through high-pitched, hoarse voices enabled by their tracheal anatomy.
This research, conducted in collaboration with the Museum of Gibraltar, the University of Murcia, and the Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences, offers a profound understanding of Neanderthals' technological and organizational capacities. It also provides new avenues for identifying similar structures at other archaeological sites.
Research Report:A Neanderthal's specialised burning structure compatible with tar obtention
Related Links
University of Seville
All About Human Beings and How We Got To Be Here
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
| Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters |
