A hand silhouette, projected in red ochre onto a rock wall over 60,000 years ago, is now overturning the established narrative of prehistory.
This imprint, discovered deep within a Spanish cave, cannot be attributed to our species, Homo sapiens, who had not yet set foot on this land. Its presumed author, Neanderthal, long perceived as a crude and unimaginative being, invites us to reconsider the very origins of symbolic expression.
This revelation is supported by a series of major archaeological discoveries that, together, paint the portrait of a hominin far more evolved than the "caveman brute" caricature. The meticulous analysis of pigments, tools, and structures in the depths of dark caves now allows us to outline the contours of a form of spirituality or graphic communication in our extinct cousins.
Four views of the ZSKVI-01 ochre fragment showing multiple modifications.
(A) Friable external surface showing numerous notches, punctures, and short randomly oriented striations on the smoothed areas.
(B) Right edge showing heavily worn micro-flaking.
(C) Harder, concave internal surface, visible on its right edge.
(D) Flakes.
Scale: 1 cm.
The debate about their cognitive abilities, once purely speculative, is now entering the realm of material evidence, redefining the boundary between what is considered uniquely human and what is not.
Cave art, a Neanderthal signature
In the caves of La Pasiega, Maltravieso, and Ardales in Spain, geometric patterns and hand stencils have been dated to over 64,000 years ago using the uranium-thorium method. This technique involves analyzing the thin layers of calcite that have deposited on these works over millennia, providing a minimum age. The presence of these natural deposits guarantees the authenticity and antiquity of the underlying pigments, confirming they were applied long before the arrival of Homo sapiens in the region.
Further north, the La Roche-Cotard cave in France contains another type of expression. On its soft mud walls, series of parallel and sinuous lines were traced with fingers, creating organized compositions. The entrance to this cavity was sealed by sediments at least 54,000 years ago, which necessarily places these works in a time when only Neanderthals roamed the region. These finger grooves represent an equally intentional form of art.
The most spectacular installation is found in the Bruniquel cave, where Neanderthals assembled pieces of stalactites to form a large oval structure, over 300 meters (about 1,000 feet) from the entrance. Traces of fire in the immediate vicinity show a use that goes beyond simple practical utility. This arrangement, requiring coordination and planning, testifies to a mastery of underground space and perhaps to an activity of a ceremonial or symbolic nature.
Archaeological coloring materials studied from ZSKV, ZSKVI, PRMII and MUH. The tools of symbolic expression
The analysis of ochre objects, a mineral pigment, from sites in Crimea and Ukraine, has revealed sophisticated practices. One of these fragments, carefully shaped into a pencil-like form, bears striations demonstrating it was sharpened repeatedly. This shape is not the result of wear, but rather the outcome of deliberate shaping to make it a marking tool, probably used for drawing on surfaces.
Another ochre fragment shows polished surfaces and engraved patterns, indicating it was used repeatedly to leave marks. The micro-wear traces observed under an electron microscope are characteristic of rubbing on an abrasive surface. These objects, carefully preserved and maintained, were not simple utensils, but instruments dedicated to a specific activity.
The discovery, reported in
Science Advances, of worked ochre on sites dating from the Micoquian period, between 130,000 and 33,000 years ago, significantly pushes back the timeline of symbolic behaviors. The manufacture and curation of these specialized tools suggest a transmission of know-how and a cultural tradition. These artifacts prove that the use of ochre was not only utilitarian, but also responded to a need for expression.
To go further: How to define symbolic thought?
Symbolic thought is the ability to use signs, images, or objects to represent concepts, beliefs, or narratives that go beyond immediate reality. It is fundamental for language, art, and social rites. In hominins, it manifests through behaviors that do not aim for direct biological survival.
Archaeologists identify it through the presence of personal ornaments, burials with offerings, and of course, artistic expressions. The creation of geometric patterns or the use of pigments on the walls of a hard-to-access cave very likely falls under this advanced cognitive faculty.
This capacity implies a sharing of meanings within a group and the transmission of a culture. In Neanderthals, it indicates a rich inner life and a form of self-awareness, breaking the old paradigm of humanity being exclusively represented by Homo sapiens.
What is ochre and how was it prepared?
Ochre is a natural pigment based on iron oxide, found as colored earth ranging from yellow to red and brown. Prehistoric humans collected and processed it for a multitude of uses, both practical and symbolic. Its preparation often involved grinding it on a flat stone to obtain a fine powder.
This powder could then be mixed with a binder, such as water, animal fat, or resin, to create paint. The ochre fragments found at archaeological sites frequently bear striations, evidence of this grinding. Some were shaped into "pencils" for direct application on surfaces.
Its value is attested by its transport over long distances, sometimes over several tens of kilometers (many miles) from its source deposit. Its versatility and permanence made it one of humanity's first artistic materials.
Article author: Cédric DEPOND