Neanderthal Wooden Tools Found Preserved as Stone Molds in Spain

The site preserved the wooden objects in a way that is rare for the Paleolithic. Wood normally rots relatively quickly, which is why little is known about early woodwork even though wood was probably the material early humans worked with most because it is easier to process. At Abric Romaní, the mineral-rich water formed a crust around the wooden tools. When the wood decayed, it left behind hollow molds that faithfully reflect its shape, allowing the Spanish archaeological team to identify the objects.

The cataloged items suggest that Neanderthal wood technology was not limited to hunting gear. According to Ars Technica, the range of objects indicates Neanderthals were likely much more than Homo sapiens’ dumber cousins. The Stone Age owes its name to tools that survived to the present, but the Abric Romaní molds provide a rare view of wooden tools that would otherwise have been lost.

The oldest wooden artifacts known from elsewhere are mostly weapons. They include spears from Schöningen in Germany, a spear tip from Clacton-on-Sea in England, and a spear found alongside an elephant skeleton in Lehringen, Germany. Most of those objects came from waterlogged sediments, where a lack of oxygen slowed decay. The Abric Romaní finds add a different kind of preservation and a broader set of wooden objects from Neanderthal living areas.

Editor's Summary

The discovery at Abric Romaní in Spain preserves 597 wooden Neanderthal artifacts as stone molds, dating from 62,000 to 40,000 years ago, according to a Science Advances study reported by Ars Technica. The objects include spears, digging sticks, bark trays, shelter parts, and an unusual club, expanding the known range of Neanderthal wood use. Because wood usually decays, the site offers rare evidence of Paleolithic woodworking beyond the weapon-heavy artifacts found in waterlogged sediments elsewhere.