Archaeologists
Individuals who unearthed a cavern utilized by ancient humans approximately 60,000 years ago have stumbled upon an extraordinary find, offering glimpses into the sophistication of our early ancestors.
They discovered a hole excavated in the earth within Gibraltar’s coastal Vanguard Cave, which was
used by Neanderthals
to remove resilient sap from wooden vegetation.
“The findings are remarkably significant as they demonstrate intricate cognitive abilities in Neanderthals, suggesting that they had an understanding of the specific plants they needed to choose and the sophisticated manufacturing processes involved in producing tar,” stated the Gibraltar National Museum, which is located in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar.
statement
.
Earlier, remains of skeletons and artifacts had been discovered at the site.
UNESCO World Heritage Site
referred to as the Gorham’s Cave Complex.
The tar should have been
used to create spears for hunting
Red deer, wild boars, and various other creatures; as well as protecting themselves against predators such as lions, wolves, and bears. This might have been accomplished by first burying the plants prior to exposing them to heat from fire, thereby isolating them from oxygen which allows resins to be produced without causing the wood to burn.
The discoveries were reported by a team comprising many dozens of international researchers in this month’s issue.
Quaternary Science Reviews
.
To arrive at their findings, the team carried out an archaeological experiment demonstrating that the pit or “hearth” could have been used for extracting tar. They discovered remnants of ashes, charcoal, zinc, and copper, along with what they suspect might be tar crystals.
It appears based on the results we’ve gathered that the tar originated from the gum rockrose (
Cistus ladanifer
) rather than birch. Birch trees were uncommon at those Mediterranean latitudes, but rock roses thrived there. It’s important to mention that the labdanum derived from these rock roses has been utilized in fragrances, as a remedy for coughs, or even as an antiseptic up till the 20th century.
th
Century,” the museum said.
Up until this point, the method used by Neanderthals for producing tar remained a mystery.
The museum stated that certain environmental factors helped preserve the physical evidence within the site.
at least 40,000 years
permitted “immediate snapshots” of their actions, along with the conservation of pollen and spores that verified the environmental circumstances beyond the cave.
It should be mentioned, though, that skepticism remains. Two archaeologists who were not part of the research recently informed
Science
there wasn’t sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the Neanderthals were intentionally setting fire to the wood for tar production.
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