Neanderthals Mastered Woodworking, Crafting Spears, Trays, and Tripods

Neanderthals, long recognized for their proficiency with stone tools, were also skilled woodworkers, capable of crafting a variety of objects including spears, trays, and tripods. New archaeological findings at the Abric Romaní site in Spain provide evidence of woodworking activities dating back 40,000 to 62,000 years ago.

Archaeologists uncovered the imprints and charred remains of 13 wooden items. The research, published in Science Advances, highlights a notable technological versatility and the diverse use of wood as a raw material by Neanderthals. This suggests a surprising level of technical knowledge, including the selection of specific wood types for different purposes. For example, lightweight and flexible juniper bark was used for trays, while harder Scots pine was chosen for more durable tools.

The Abric Romaní site, located beneath a limestone cliff, is a significant location for understanding early human behavior. It served as a sheltered area and a vital corridor between inland Catalonia and the coast during the Middle Palaeolithic period. Excavations, ongoing since 1983, have yielded rare evidence of ancient woodwork, a material that typically decays rapidly, making its preservation uncommon.

Evidence of woodworking at Abric Romaní has been preserved through carbonization (charring) and travertine incrustation, a process where calcium carbonate builds up around an object as it decays, leaving detailed impressions. This preservation method has allowed researchers to study Neanderthal craftsmanship over a period of 22,000 years.

Among the findings were simple wooden trays, possibly used as containers for food or for handling embers. More complex items include pointed sticks, showing deliberate shaping, which may have served as spears for hunting or fishing, or as digging tools. The discovery of structural elements, such as long sticks likely forming a tripod for food processing, and a large stripped tree branch possibly intended as part of a resting area, further underscore their construction abilities.

Perhaps the most remarkable find is a unique wooden club, carved from a single piece of wood. Its carefully shaped handle and tapered "blade" suggest it was designed as a weapon for hunting or conflict. The rarity of such wooden artifacts, with only one other potential example dating back much further, makes this discovery particularly significant.

The researchers concluded that beyond their stone tool skills, Neanderthals demonstrated a remarkable capacity for working with organic materials like bone, shell, fiber, and wood, challenging the perception of them as solely stone-age beings.