Latest news with #DavidÁlvarezAlonso
Gizmodo
4 days ago
- General
- Gizmodo
Did a Neanderthal Spot a Face in This Rock 43,000 Years Ago—and Leave a Fingerprint Behind?
While digging inside a cave in the Spanish city of Segovia, archaeologists uncovered an unusual rock. The hand-sized stone naturally resembled an elongated face, and featured a spot of red pigment made from ochre right on the tip of what may be considered its nose. 'We were all thinking the same thing and looking at each other because of its shape: we were all thinking, 'This looks like a face,'' David Álvarez Alonso, an archaeologist at Complutense University in Madrid who was part of the dig, told The Guardian. Álvarez Alonso and his colleagues spent the next three years studying this bizarre rock. The researchers posit that 43,000 years ago, a Neanderthal dipped their finger in ochre and pressed it onto the stone's central ridge—leaving behind what is now considered to be the world's oldest complete human fingerprint. It's an intriguing finding that could have significant implications, but some experts would like to see more evidence to support this hypothesis. The team published its findings in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences on Saturday, May 24. In the paper, the archaeologists state that the 'strategic position' of the dot suggests it is evidence of Neanderthals' 'symbolic behavior.' In other words, it's a piece of art that 'could represent one of the earliest human face symbolizations in prehistory.' 'The fact that the [rock] was selected because of its appearance and then marked with ochre shows that there was a human mind capable of symbolizing, imagining, idealizing and projecting his or her thoughts on an object,' the researchers write. Whether Neanderthals were capable of making art is a subject of ongoing debate, co-author María de Andrés-Herrero, a professor of prehistory at Complutense University, told the BBC. But over the past decade, a growing body of evidence has led many experts to believe that artistic expression emerged earlier in human evolution than previously thought. The authors of this new study think their stone adds to this evidence. To reach this conclusion, they first needed more data to support the idea that this ancient artist had actually experienced pareidolia: seeing a face in an inanimate object. To that end, they generated a 3D model of the stone's surface and measured the distances between its features, finding that the red dot—or nose—was placed such that it accurately resembled an actual nose on a human face. Then, the researchers enlisted the help of geologists to characterize the red dot, confirming that it was made with ochre. Forensic police experts then used multispectral analysis—a technique that can reveal details invisible to the naked eye—to confirm that the red dot had been applied with a fingertip. Their analysis uncovered a fingerprint that could have belonged to an adult male Neanderthal inside the dot. 'Once we had that and all the other pieces, context and information, we advanced the theory that this could be a pareidolia, which then led to a human intervention in the form of the red dot,' Álvarez Alonso told The Guardian. 'Without that red dot, you can't make any claims about the object.' But Gilliane Monnier, a professor of anthropology at the University of Minnesota who studies Neanderthal behavior, is not totally convinced by the researchers' findings. 'The fact that there are these natural depressions—and that we can measure the distance between them and argue that it's a face—that's all well and good,' Monnier, who wasn't involved in the study, told Gizmodo. 'But that doesn't give us any indication that the Neanderthals who [occupied this cave] saw a face in that [rock].' What's more, she is skeptical of the researchers' claim that the red dot was actually made with a human fingertip. It's possible, she said, that the coloring and fingerprint-like ridges formed naturally. 'I would be interested in seeing an explanation by a geologist—someone trained in geology—saying the likelihood of this forming by natural, geological or geomicrobial processes is a very low likelihood,' Monnier said. The researchers, too, acknowledge that 'it is unlikely that all doubts surrounding this hypothesis can be fully dispelled,' and state that the pareidolia hypothesis should not be seen as a definitive claim, but rather a possible explanation for this object based on the evidence. So it's hard to say whether this study clarifies or complicates our understanding of how the human mind evolved the ability to create art. The face-shaped rock is an intriguing piece of the puzzle, but more research is needed to figure out where it fits.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
43,000 year-old human fingerprint by Neanderthal is known to be the oldest on the planet
Source: Live Science A remarkable discovery of a 43,000 year old human fingerprint has recently shed new light on the capabilities of Neanderthals which are our closest extinct relatives. Scientists have uncovered what is believed to be the oldest known human fingerprint is an imprint left on a stone approximately 43,000 years ago during the prehistoric era. This extraordinary find adds a significant chapter to the history of early humans and their ancestors which reveals that long before recorded history, Neanderthals were capable of leaving symbolic marks. Thus, it challenges long-held assumptions about their behavior and suggests that they possessed a capacity for abstract thought and artistic expression much earlier than previously believed. The oldest human fingerprint Neanderthal found in Spain A red ocher dot on a face-shaped rock in Spain which is dated to about 43,000 years ago may be the oldest known human fingerprint and one of Europe's earliest symbolic artifacts. It was left by a Neanderthal, which is our closest extinct human relative who lived in Europe for thousands of years before disappearing around 40,000 years ago, this mark is believed to represent a nose on the rock's facial features. The discovery challenges the long-held belief that Neanderthals lacked the ability to create symbolic art. Scientist's view on Neanderthal Scientists in Spain have uncovered what they believe is the oldest complete human fingerprint on a rock that resembles a face, indicating Neanderthals may have created art. Around 43,000 years ago, a Neanderthal likely dipped his finger in red pigment to paint a nose on the pebble. The mark was found in a San Lázaro rock shelter in Segovia, The carefully placed dot is seen by researchers as evidence of Neanderthals' symbolic thinking and ability to engage in abstract behavior. According to BBC reports, the excavation at the San Lázaro shelter began five years ago, and in 2022, they discovered the stone beneath 1.5 meters of sediment linked to Neanderthal groups. 'At first, we couldn't believe what we saw—a larger stone among others at the site with a red dot in the center resembling a human face,' he said. Initially unsure if the dot was ochre, a natural pigment, the team confirmed its composition and enlisted Spain's scientific police for further analysis. Using multi-spectrum techniques, they identified a fingerprint on the stone, likely belonging to an adult male. However, archaeologist David Álvarez Alonso, co-author of the study, cautioned that without other Neanderthal fingerprints for comparison, certainty is difficult. Discovery of Neanderthal This is also the first time a stone with a red ochre mark has been discovered in such a context, suggesting Neanderthals intentionally brought the stone to the shelter. Prof. Alonso explained that a Neanderthal likely noticed the stone's unique fissures and deliberately applied the ochre stain in its center. Researchers argue the mark was deliberate since red pigment doesn't occur naturally in the shelter and had to be brought their paper published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences , they describe the pebble as exceptional and consider it a visual symbol, possibly a piece of portable art in certain contexts. Qualities of Neanderthal There are various qualities of Neanderthal that attracted scientists towards it. Some of them are: The red ocher dot at the center of the stone's surface is clearly man-made and not natural. Neanderthal cave art often used this pigment, commonly featuring patterns of dots. The stone itself is unusual as researchers found no signs of wear or use as a tool and its size and shape differ from typical stones used for practical purposes at the site. Some indentations appear natural, but others show subtle signs of deliberate shaping. Made of quartz-rich granite, a rare material locally but found upstream about 5 km away, the stone likely was carried to the site by a Neanderthal, as natural river transport was ruled out. Viewed as a non-functional, intentionally altered object, the stone reveals faint facial features. Ongoing research by scientists Using 3D laser scanning and microtopography, along with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), researchers identified the ocher as iron oxide applied without a binding substance. Multispectral imaging uncovered a dermatoglyphic pattern in the pigment, which forensic experts later confirmed as a human fingerprint, showing detailed ridge patterns, splits, and convergence points. Statistical analysis dismissed the idea of random placement, with Monte Carlo simulations showing only a 0.31% likelihood that the red dot's symmetrical position between two indentations happened by chance. Also read: How alligators are transforming and sustaining Florida's Everglades
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
World's oldest fingerprint may be a clue that Neanderthals created art
One day around 43,000 years ago, a Neanderthal man in what is now central Spain came across a large granite pebble whose pleasing contours and indentations snagged his eye. Something in the shape of that quartz-rich stone – perhaps its odd resemblance to an elongated face – may have compelled him to pick it up, study it and, eventually, to dip one of his fingers in red pigment and press it against the pebble's edge, exactly where the nose on that face would have been. In doing so, he left behind what is thought to be the world's oldest complete human fingerprint, on what would appear to be the oldest piece of European portable art. The discovery, which could enrich our understanding of how Neanderthals saw and interpreted the world, has come to light after almost three years of research by a team of Spanish archaeologists, geologists and police forensic experts. The dig team noticed there was something odd about the stone – which is just over 20cm in length – as soon as they found it while excavating the San Lázaro rock shelter on the outskirts of Segovia in July 2022. It did not look like something that had been used as a hammer or an anvil; it didn't look like a tool at all. 'The stone was oddly shaped and had a red ochre dot, which really caught our eye,' said David Álvarez Alonso, an archaeologist at Complutense University in Madrid. 'We were all thinking the same thing and looking at each other because of its shape: we were all thinking, 'This looks like a face'. But obviously that wasn't enough. As we carried on our research, we knew we needed information to be able to advance the hypothesis that there was some purposefulness here, this was a symbolic object and that one possible explanation – although we'll never know for sure – is that this was the symbolisation of a face.' Determined to test their conviction that the red mark was a human fingerprint placed deliberately between the indentations that could have been the eyes and mouth of a face, the team enlisted the help of other experts. Further investigations confirmed that the pigment, which contained iron oxides and clay minerals, was not found elsewhere in or around the cave. 'We then got in touch with the scientific police to determine whether we were right that the dot had been applied using a fingertip,' said Álvarez Alonso. 'They confirmed that it had.' The print, they concluded, was human and could be that of an adult male. 'Once we had that and all the other pieces, context and information, we advanced the theory that this could be a pareidolia [catching sight of a face in an ordinary, inanimate object] which then led to a human intervention in the form of the red dot,' said the archaeologist. 'Without that red dot, you can't make any claims about the object.' Álvarez Alonso argues that the dot's existence raises questions that all point in the same direction. 'It couldn't have been a coincidence that the dot is where it is – and there are no markings to indicate any other use,' he said. 'So why did they bring this pebble from the river to the inside of the cave? And, what's more, there's no ochre inside the cave or outside it. So they must have had to bring pigment from elsewhere.' The team's findings, reported in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, reinforce the idea that Neanderthals – who died out some 40,000 years ago – were capable of acts of artistic and symbolic creation, meaning modern humans were not the first to use art as a means of expression. 'The fact that the pebble was selected because of its appearance and then marked with ochre shows that there was a human mind capable of symbolising, imagining, idealising and projecting his or her thoughts on an object,' the authors write. 'Furthermore, in this case, we can propose that three fundamental cognitive processes are involved in creating art: the mental conception of an image, deliberate communication, and the attribution of meaning. These are the basic elements characterising symbolism and, also prehistoric – non-figurative – art. Furthermore, this pebble could thus represent one of the oldest known abstractions of a human face in the prehistoric record.' Álvarez Alonso and his colleagues are looking forward to the debate that their discovery will reignite over whether modern humans were the first artists. 'We've set out our interpretation in the article, but the debate goes on,' he said. 'And anything to do with Neanderthals always prompts a massive debate. If we had a pebble with a red dot on it that was done 5,000 years ago by Homo sapiens, no one would hesitate to call it portable art. But associating Neanderthals with art generates a lot of debate. I think there's sometimes an unintentional prejudice.' Still, said the archaeologist, he and the rest of the team believed the most logical explanation was that someone, a very long time ago, 'saw something special in this pebble', picked it up and set about imbuing it with meaning. 'Why would a Neanderthal have seen it differently from the way we see it today?' he asked. 'They were human, too. The thing here is that we're dealing with an unparalleled object; there's nothing similar. It's not like art where, if you discover a cave painting, there are hundreds more you can use for context. But our assertion is that the Neanderthals had a similar capacity for symbolic thought to Homo sapiens – and we think this object reinforces that notion.'
The Guardian
26-05-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
‘Like a face': discovery reinforces idea Neanderthals created art, say experts
One day around 43,000 years ago, a Neanderthal man in what is now central Spain came across a large granite pebble whose pleasing contours and indentations snagged his eye. Something in the shape of that quartz-rich stone – perhaps its odd resemblance to an elongated face – may have compelled him to pick it up, study it and, eventually, to dip one of his fingers in red pigment and press it against the pebble's edge, exactly where the nose on that face would have been. In doing so, he left behind what is thought to be the world's oldest complete human fingerprint, on what would appear to be the oldest piece of European portable art. The discovery, which could enrich our understanding of how Neanderthals saw and interpreted the world, has come to light following almost three years of research by a team of Spanish archaeologists, geologists and police forensic experts. The dig team noticed there was something odd about the stone – which is just over 20cm in length – as soon as they found it while excavating the San Lázaro rock shelter on the outskirts of Segovia in July 2022. It didn't look like something that had been used as a hammer or an anvil; it didn't look like a tool at all. 'The stone was oddly shaped and had a red ochre dot, which really caught our eye,' said David Álvarez Alonso, an archaeologist at Complutense University in Madrid. 'We were all thinking the same thing and looking at each other because of its shape: we were all thinking, 'This looks like a face'. But obviously that wasn't enough. As we carried on our research, we knew we needed information to be able to advance the hypothesis that there was some purposefulness here, this was a symbolic object and that one possible explanation – although we'll never know for sure – is that this was the symbolisation of a face.' Determined to test their conviction that the red mark was a human fingerprint placed deliberately between the indentations that could have been the eyes and mouth of a face, the team enlisted the help of other experts. Further investigations confirmed that the pigment, which contained iron oxides and clay minerals, was not found elsewhere in or around the cave. 'We then got in touch with the scientific police to determine whether we were right that the dot had been applied using a fingertip,' said Álvarez Alonso. 'They confirmed that it had.' The print, they concluded, was human and could be that of an adult male. 'Once we had that and all the other pieces, context and information, we advanced the theory that this could be a pareidolia [catching sight of a face in an ordinary, inanimate object] which then led to a human intervention in the form of the red dot,' said the archaeologist. 'Without that red dot, you can't make any claims about the object.' Álvarez Alonso argues that the dot's existence raises questions that all point in the same direction. 'It couldn't have been a coincidence that the dot it where it is – and there are no markings to indicate any other use,' he said. 'So why did they bring this pebble from the river to the inside of the cave? And, what's more, there's no ochre inside the cave or outside it. So they must have had to bring pigment from elsewhere.' The team's findings, reported in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, reinforce the idea that Neanderthals – who died out some 40,000 years ago – were capable of acts of artistic and symbolic creation, meaning that modern humans were not the first to use art as a means of expression. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion 'The fact that the pebble was selected because of its appearance and then marked with ochre shows that there was a human mind capable of symbolising, imagining, idealising and projecting his or her thoughts on an object,' the authors write. 'Furthermore, in this case, we can propose that three fundamental cognitive processes are involved in creating art: the mental conception of an image, deliberate communication, and the attribution of meaning. These are the basic elements characterising symbolism and, also prehistoric – non-figurative – art. Furthermore, this pebble could thus represent one of the oldest known abstractions of a human face in the prehistoric record.' Álvarez Alonso and his colleagues are looking forward to the debate that their discovery will reignite over whether modern humans were the first artists. 'We've set out our interpretation in the article, but the debate goes on,' he said. 'And anything to do with Neanderthals always prompts a massive debate. If we had a pebble with a red dot on it that was done 5,000 years ago by Homo Sapiens, no one would hesitate to call it portable art. But associating Neanderthals with art generates a lot of debate. I think there's sometimes an unintentional prejudice.' Still, said the archaeologist, he and the rest of the team believe that the most logical explanation is that someone, a very long time ago, 'saw something special in this pebble', picked it up and set about imbuing it with meaning. 'Why would a Neanderthal have seen it differently from the way we see it today?' he asked. 'They were human, too. The thing here is that we're dealing with an unparalleled object; there's nothing similar. It's not like art where, if you discover a cave painting, there are hundreds more you can use for context. But our assertion is that the Neanderthals had a similar capacity for symbolic thought to Homo Sapiens – and we think this object reinforces that notion.'
