The discovery of Neanderthals using resin and ochre to make blade grips redefined our understanding of this ancient human wisdom. Recently, a group of researchers studied a batch of Neanderthal tools made between 120,000 and 40,000 years ago and found that these tools were forged using glue.
According to a release from New York University, the study reveals the oldest evidence of complex adhesives in Europe. The binder, which is made up of bitumen (a petroleum component naturally found in the soil) and ochre, traces of which have been found on stone tools from the Neanderthal site of Le Mustière, France, have been published in the journal Science Advances.
Bitumen is a binder in its own right, but as a liquid it is not suitable for use as a glue. However, when it was mixed with ochre – the material used by Neanderthals and early modern humans to create artwork on cave walls – they formed a malleable solid that Neanderthals applied to Le Mustière's scrapers, shards, and blades. The research team studied five stone tools with ochre marks: three fragments, a resharpened blade, and a side scraper.
Composite adhesives are considered to be one of the earliest manifestations of modern cognitive processes, which are still active today," says Patrick Schmidt, an archaeologist at the University of Tübingen and lead author of the study, in the release. Neanderthals' intelligence and creativity are evidenced by their collection of artworks and tools.
This bitumen-ochre mixture sticks to the stone, but not to the hands – making it an ideal material for making tool handles. Microscopic imaging of the tool revealed two types of wear: one indicating that other materials had been treated, and another indicating that the adhesive itself was worn out from use. The research team therefore believes that the binders are used as the shank itself, rather than connecting the stone tool to the shank.
Our modern understanding of Neanderthals is very different from the outdated notions of the past that are closest to our fellow human beings. Although they became extinct about 40,000 years ago, Neanderthal DNA is still present in most humans today, suggesting that Neanderthals were gradually assimilated into Homo sapiens.
February** Dynamic Incentive Program