cave markings bring neanderthals closer to us
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Findings published in journal

Cave markings 'bring Neanderthals closer to us'

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Cave markings 'bring Neanderthals closer to us'

A work at National Prehistoric Museum of Les Eyzies de Tayac in Dordogne
Washington - Arab Today

Markings dating back 40,000 years suggest Neanderthals were considerably more sophisticated than previously thought, researchers say.
They reached their conclusions after the discovery of engravings deep in Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar -- the first Neanderthal cave etchings found anywhere in the world.
Are the deep grooves of horizontal and vertical criss-crossing lines art?
Archaeologists are refusing to go that far, but they say, it shows Neanderthals -- contrary to long-held beliefs -- did possess the capacity for abstract thought and expression.
"It brings Neanderthals even closer to us," said Professor Clive Finlayson, the director of the Gibraltar Museum and coordinator of the international team that carried out the research.
"It talks of high cognitive mental capacities in Neanderthals which are equivalent to humans."
The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
The paper, "A rock engraving made by Neanderthals in Gibraltar," was authored by a team that included specialists in the Neanderthal field such as professors Joaquin Rodriguez-Vidal, Francesco d’Errico and Francisco Giles Pacheco.
"The production of purposely made painted or engraved designs on cave walls is recognized as a major cognitive step in human evolution, considered exclusive to modern humans," the authors wrote.
D'Errico, of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), called it "the first example of cave art, an abstract representation made by Neanderthals and deeply engraved in the rock in a part of the cave they lived in."
The carving, discovered after years of excavation at Gorham's Cave, was eventually found beneath a Neanderthal sediment level that was itself discovered below a modern human sediment level.
It was the first area of bedrock that was exposed by the researchers, suggesting there may be other engravings yet to be discovered.
- 'Not a casual mark' -
Researchers also tried to learn how Neanderthals might have made the engraving.
They used stone Neanderthal tools to show that each groove required consistent, repetitive strokes in a single direction.
"To produce one of the grooves required 60 strokes, always in one direction," Finlayson said, adding that the whole of the etching required up to 317 strokes.
"We were immediately showing that this was not a casual mark. This required effort."
The engraving was found in the farthest reaches of Gorham’s Cave, located in a cliff overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, where previous evidence suggests Neanderthals retired to rest.
"If there’s going to be a place where you’re going to have spare time to do these things, it’s going to be there," Finlayson said.
It is by no means the first study to find that Neanderthals were closer to our species than previously thought.
Close examination of the same cave in Gibraltar revealed that Neanderthals may have caught, butchered and cooked wild pigeons long before modern humans became regular consumers of bird meat, a study earlier this month said.
Other recent studies have shown that in addition to meat, Neanderthals ate vegetables, berries and nuts, that they took care of their elders and used sophisticated bone tools.
An enigmatic branch of the human family tree, Neanderthals lived in parts of Europe, Central Asia and Middle East for up to 300,000 years but vanished from the fossil record about 30-40,000 years ago.
Source: AFP

 

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

cave markings bring neanderthals closer to us cave markings bring neanderthals closer to us

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

cave markings bring neanderthals closer to us cave markings bring neanderthals closer to us

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 07:43 2017 Monday ,16 October

'Final phase' of battle for Raqa

GMT 07:58 2011 Monday ,17 October

Chinese stocks close 0.37 pct higher Monday

GMT 13:38 2011 Friday ,11 November

Tips to great skin and hair

GMT 16:57 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

Bahrain condemns attack on market

GMT 19:36 2017 Thursday ,13 April

Despite warning, Assad regime uses barrel bombs

GMT 18:42 2017 Tuesday ,11 April

Muscat Securities Market Loses 29 Points

GMT 11:44 2014 Saturday ,01 November

Arab League council to hold emergency meeting Sunday

GMT 09:21 2011 Monday ,17 October

Tulisa showed on X Factor

GMT 18:08 2017 Tuesday ,17 January

Jordanian Royal Decree Approves Cabinet Reshuffle

GMT 09:07 2011 Sunday ,12 June

Israel to allow limited goods into Gaza

GMT 12:16 2011 Saturday ,18 June

Marilyn Monroe dress stars in Hollywood sale

GMT 13:42 2011 Sunday ,30 October

Watermelon helps reduce atherosclerosis

GMT 21:45 2017 Thursday ,27 April

US dollar exchange rate stable at major banks
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday