Neandertals made the first specialized bone tools in Europe

Abstract

Modern humans replaced Neandertals ∼40,000 y ago. Close to the time of replacement, Neandertals show behaviors similar to those of the modern humans arriving into Europe, including the use of specialized bone tools, body ornaments, and small blades. It is highly debated whether these modern behaviors developed before or as a result of contact with modern humans. Here we report the identification of a type of specialized bone tool, lissoir, previously only associated with modern humans. The microwear preserved on one of these lissoir is consistent with the use of lissoir in modern times to obtain supple, lustrous, and more impermeable hides. These tools are from a Neandertal context proceeding the replacement period and are the oldest specialized bone tools in Europe. As such, they are either a demonstration of independent invention by Neandertals or an indication that modern humans started influencing European Neandertals much earlier than previously believed. Because these finds clearly predate the oldest known age for the use of similar objects in Europe by anatomically modern humans, they could also be evidence for cultural diffusion from Neandertals to modern humans.

Keywords: Middle Paleolithic; Paleolithic archaeology; human evolution.

Fig. 1.

Map and stratigraphic sections of Abri Peyrony and Pech-de-l’Azé I. (A) View north of Abri Peyrony after 2010 excavation. (B) East section of Abri Peyrony with stars indicating the levels containing the reported bones. (C) View of the Pech I 3-m MTA section. (D) East section of Pech I with the star indicating the location (1 m from the drawn section) of the reported bone (more plans and photos in the SI Appendix). Only the MTA was discovered at both sites.

Fig. 2.

Photographs and drawings of the Abri Peyrony (AP) and Pech-de-l’Azé I (PA I) bone tools. (A) AP-7839. (B) AP-4209. (C) AP-4493. (D) PA I G8-1417. (E and F) G8-1417 cortical side showing a uniform shine, rounding and slight crushing of the distal end. (G) G8-1417 trabecular bone with no rounding or striations and a bending fracture. (H) Close-up of tip polish on AP-4209 showing gradient from cortical bone to polished trabecular bone to fresh trabecular bone. (I) Close-up of facet on AP-4209. See also SI Appendix, Section S5.

Fig. 3.

Photomicrographs of the Pech I (G8-1417) bone showing details of the polish and striations (A–D). Use-wear traces on the upper side of an experimental bone lissoir used to soften dry hide with a longitudinal motion after 5 min of use (E) and after 10 min of use (F).

Fig. 4.

Examples of Upper Paleolithic lissoirs. Distal fragment of a Gravettian lissoir from Abri Pataud (France) (45) (A). Distal fragment of a Proto-Aurignacian lissoir from La Grotte du Renne (France) (42) (B) and of a Magdalenian lissoir from La Grotte de la Vache (France) (24) (C). Almost complete Aurignacian lissoir from Gatzarria (France) (D) and mesial fragment (with typical scars of bending fractures at both ends) of a Aurignacian lissoir from Castanet-Nord (France) (46) (E). An unused modern lissoir (upper end) and plior (bottom end) use by leather craftsmen and made from a cow rib, purchased from the Internet, January 2013 (F). [(A) Collection MNHN, photo by C. Vercoutère; (C) Photo by E. Tartar; (D) Castanet project archives.]