Latest news with #MiddlePaleolithic
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Scientists Found the Oldest Ever Fingerprint Left by a Human
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story. Archaeologists discovered a human fingerprint left on a rock in Spain now considered the oldest known human fingerprint. Experts believe a Neanderthal intentionally made the print roughly 43,000 years ago. The rock was used only for the art—a rarity for the ancient time period—rather than a tool or some other utilitarian usage. A Neanderthal may have given us the oldest-known human fingerprint by attempting to paint a face on a small granite pebble in what is now modern-day Spain In a new study published in Archaeological and Anthropological Science, experts claim that a 43,000-year-old fingerprint left in red ocher pigment was intentionally placed on the rock in what was possibly an early form of art. The Neanderthal was attempting to paint a face on a small granite pebble in what is now modern-day Spain. 'This object contributes to our understanding of Neanderthals' capacity for abstraction, suggesting that it could represent one of the earliest human facial symbolizations in prehistory,' wrote the study authors, a collaboration between the Complutense University of Madrid, the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain, the General Commissariat of Scientific Police of the National Police, and the University of Salamanca. Discovered in the San Lazaro rock shelter in central Spain, the team used scanning electron microscopy and multispectral spectroscopy analyses to find the complete fingerprint and then forensic analyses to determine it had to come from a human. 'It is not just a fingerprint; it is the signature of an individual who manipulated this object with a purpose that goes beyond the utilitarian,' the researchers wrote. The authors believe the fingerprint was intentionally placed and the pigment suggests it was applied with the tip of a finger after being soaked in pigment. 'Someone held it, painted it, and placed it there,' the researchers wrote. Found on a pebble believed to have originated from the Eresma River and moved to the shelter, the rock shows no signs of ever being used as a tool, giving the pebble a rare non-utilitarian function from the Middle Paleolithic period, according to a translated statement from the researchers. The painted fingerprint matches up with the pebble's form to make it seem that the Neanderthal who added the red-soaked print meant to create a 'human face, with eyes, a mouth, and a ridge shaped like a nose.' 'This pebble could thus represent one of the oldest known abstractions of a human face in the prehistoric record,' the authors wrote, noting it could be 'face pareidolia,' the act of humans giving objects human-like qualities. The study said that detailed analyses of the print showed it was 'unequivocally attributed to Neanderthals.' The human who dipped their finger into the pigment 'intentionally manipulated' the rock for non-utilitarian purposes and by bringing the rock into the shelter, the Neanderthal could have been following ritualistic behavior or simply trying to liven up a space with a little abstract art. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Scientists Found a 43,000-Year-Old Fingerprint That May Be the Oldest Ever Left by a Human
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story. Archaeologists discovered a human fingerprint left on a rock in Spain now considered the oldest known human fingerprint. Experts believe a Neanderthal intentionally made the print roughly 43,000 years ago. The rock was used only for the art—a rarity for the ancient time period—rather than a tool or some other utilitarian usage. A Neanderthal may have given us the oldest-known human fingerprint by attempting to paint a face on a small granite pebble in what is now modern-day Spain In a new study published in Archaeological and Anthropological Science, experts claim that a 43,000-year-old fingerprint left in red ocher pigment was intentionally placed on the rock in what was possibly an early form of art. The Neanderthal was attempting to paint a face on a small granite pebble in what is now modern-day Spain. 'This object contributes to our understanding of Neanderthals' capacity for abstraction, suggesting that it could represent one of the earliest human facial symbolizations in prehistory,' wrote the study authors, a collaboration between the Complutense University of Madrid, the Geological and Mining Institute of Spain, the General Commissariat of Scientific Police of the National Police, and the University of Salamanca. Discovered in the San Lazaro rock shelter in central Spain, the team used scanning electron microscopy and multispectral spectroscopy analyses to find the complete fingerprint and then forensic analyses to determine it had to come from a human. 'It is not just a fingerprint; it is the signature of an individual who manipulated this object with a purpose that goes beyond the utilitarian,' the researchers wrote. The authors believe the fingerprint was intentionally placed and the pigment suggests it was applied with the tip of a finger after being soaked in pigment. 'Someone held it, painted it, and placed it there,' the researchers wrote. Found on a pebble believed to have originated from the Eresma River and moved to the shelter, the rock shows no signs of ever being used as a tool, giving the pebble a rare non-utilitarian function from the Middle Paleolithic period, according to a translated statement from the researchers. The painted fingerprint matches up with the pebble's form to make it seem that the Neanderthal who added the red-soaked print meant to create a 'human face, with eyes, a mouth, and a ridge shaped like a nose.' 'This pebble could thus represent one of the oldest known abstractions of a human face in the prehistoric record,' the authors wrote, noting it could be 'face pareidolia,' the act of humans giving objects human-like qualities. The study said that detailed analyses of the print showed it was 'unequivocally attributed to Neanderthals.' The human who dipped their finger into the pigment 'intentionally manipulated' the rock for non-utilitarian purposes and by bringing the rock into the shelter, the Neanderthal could have been following ritualistic behavior or simply trying to liven up a space with a little abstract art. You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
‘Pointy bone' found in Russia cave may be oldest of its kind in Europe. See it
World 'Pointy bone' found in Russia cave may be oldest of its kind in Europe. See it Deep in the Caucasus Mountains in southwestern Russia, a Neanderthal cave revealed a unique tool. Getty/iStock photo Tens of thousands of years ago, an ancient people left their possessions in a cave in the Caucasus Mountains of modern-day Russia. Centuries would pass before the site was found again — and a discovery would be made. Mezmaiskaya Cave, an area of more than 5,000 square feet, has been excavated since 1987, and the lower layers of sediment date to more than 70,000 years ago, according to a study published April 14 in the peer-reviewed Journal of Archaeological Science. Previous studies have identified Neanderthal remains from inside the cave, but in 2003, archaeologists made a more 'unique' find, according to the study. In a layer of sediment from the Middle Paleolithic period, they uncovered a 'pointy bone' near a hearth built into a natural hollow in the stone, researchers said. The 'unique pointy bone' was found in a Neanderthal cave in southwestern Russia. Golovanova, L. V., et al (2025) Journal of Archaeological Science The bone was near other artifacts like stone tools, flakes, limestone blocks and burnt bones, according to the study. The preservation of bones in this cave environment is 'exceptional,' researchers said, and the oddly-shaped stick-like bone was no different. Researchers called it a 'study piece of bone,' about 3.5 inches long and 0.2 inches wide, covered in cut and scratch marks, according to the study. Further analysis of the bone indicates 'that the bone tool from Mezmaiskaya cave is made from a thick cortical bone (probably, long bone) of a large animal (probably, bison). Several human-made modifications, including flat swaying and scraping marks, and deep cut marks, shape very marginally the basal part of the tool, probably to make it more straight,' researchers said. The tapered part of the bone had remnants of bitumen, and ancient resin, that suggests the pointed piece was attached to a shaft, likely wood at one end, according to the study. There was also tap damage and microcracks on the pointed end of the bone, researchers said. All together, the 'consistent evidence suggest(s) that the Mezmaiskaya specimen functioned as a bone tip of a hunting projectile weapon,' according to the study. The tip was carved into a point, making it the oldest known bone tip in Europe. Golovanova, L. V., et al (2025) Journal of Archaeological Science The spear tip was between 70,000 and 80,000 years old, predating when Homo sapiens, or modern humans, arrived in Europe, according to the study. This means just as Neanderthal bodies were found in the cave, they were also the likely craftsmen of the bone tip. Human-made pointed bone tools have been found in other regions of the world, including Africa and Asia, and date from further back in human history, researchers said. But because the bone tip was likely made by Neanderthals 'the results allow us to interpret this artifact as the oldest in Europe,' according to the study, and this kind of bone carving was likely in its infancy at the time. Mezmaiskaya Cave is located near the northeastern coast of the Black Sea in southwestern Russia, south of Ukraine and north of Georgia. The research team includes Liubov V. Golovanova, Vladimir B. Doronichev, Ekaterina V. Doronicheva, Galina N. Poplevko, Naomi E. Cleghorn, Alexander M. Kulkov, Nikolai N. Potrakhov, Viktor B. Bessonov and Nikolai E. Staroverov. Irene Wright McClatchy DC Email this person Irene Wright is a McClatchy Real-Time reporter. She earned a B.A. in ecology and an M.A. in health and medical journalism from the University of Georgia and is now based in Atlanta. Irene previously worked as a business reporter at The Dallas Morning News.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Found an 8,000-Year-Old Figurine in a Cave. Its Engravings Tell the Story of an Ancient Culture.
A two-inch Mesolithic stone figurine from Azerbaijan tells a tale of cultural growth. It's the first cultural find from the area of the South Caucasus. The sandstone figurine depicts a human, and stone tools were used to create the artwork. There's no face on the oldest piece of art—a small sandstone figurine of a human from the Mesolithic era—ever found in one region of modern-day Azerbaijan. In a study published by Archaeological Research in Asia, a team of archaeologists from both Japan and Azerbaijan showed how they used technology to investigate the details of the stone figurine that helps tell the story of the cultural shifts from Mesolithic to Neolithic. 'Its stylistic features considerably differ from those of Neolithic human figures in the region,' the study authors wrote, 'providing a valuable reference point for understanding the cultural processes in symbolic aspects during the Mesolithic-Neolithic interface in the South Caucasus.' The archaeologists discovered the figurine in the Damjili Cave, which was first explored by archaeologists in 1953. Layers within the cave show a high density of Neolithic settlements, and trace life back to Middle Paleolithic and Mesolithic times. The figurine in question (dubbed Unit 5.2) was initially almost discarded when discovered amidst a layer of sediment along the bank of the Kura River—why would a ovular chunk of sandstone be anything other than a rock laying on the bed of a river? Fortunately, someone noticed the faint lines hewn into the rock that were clearly the work of an artist. The team needed microscopic analysis to really see the engraving patterns (the only modification made to the stone). 'The overall pattern suggests that the artifact represents a human figure,' the authors wrote. Carbon dating of the artifact places it between 6400 and 6100 B.C., but it required computed tomography analysis, X-ray fluorescence analysis, and scanning electron microscope analysis to really make the cultural value and stylistic differences from Neolithic examples clear. One side of the figurine has more complicated engravings, likely indicating it's the front of the figure. At two inches long, half an inch wide, and about a third of an inch thick, the craftsmanship was detailed and required stone tools for engraving. Vertical lines on the top of the stone likely represent hair. There's also an explicitly delineated horizontal line across the hair that researchers believe was a hairband or edge of a cap, especially since the top of the head is not decorated. The figurine lacks facial features and there's no way to discern the intended sex of the figurine. The lower body is less intensely decorated, but does have three horizontal lines that are likely a belt and vertical lines representing a loincloth or apron. The team found reddish areas with a higher level of iron content, opening up the possibility red pigments were part of the original design. 'The engraving seems to have been performed carefully in most parts, representing the high sophistication of the craftsman, although different intensities of the work are also observable,' the team wrote. Various depths and widths were used in the engraving style, showing a deviation in strokes. 'The most intense traces of engraving on the front side of the head suggest the manufacturer's emphasis on the head, although the details of the face of the figurine were not depicted,' they wrote. Alongside the figurine, the team found remnants of stone fireplaces, bone, and flaked stones, but ground-stone artifacts are rare. 'The stone figure from Unit 5.2 is a rather exceptional find,' they wrote. The style suggests a local tradition of artistic representation, although there could be cultural influence from Southwest Asia. 'This specimen is unique in the prehistory of the South Caucasus,' the team wrote. 'We hope that this research will provide a cautionary note when investigating small stone items from sites during the introduction of the agropastoral socio-economy in the South Caucasus. More discovery of Mesolithic portable arts should certainly contribute to our better understanding of the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in the South Caucasus.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
South China Morning Post
08-04-2025
- Science
- South China Morning Post
China was home to Neanderthals, not just Europe or Middle East, Stone Age find suggests
Neanderthals might have lived in today's southwestern China during the Middle Stone Age, newly discovered tools similar to those previously found only in Europe and the Middle East suggest. Advertisement An international scientific team unearthed some 3,500 stone artefacts at a site in Yunnan province, and dated them to between 60,000 and 50,000 years old. Some stone tools showed key features of Quina technology – a tradition associated with Neanderthals living in cold, arid European environments around 70,000 to 40,000 years ago. The team of archaeologists, based in Australia, China, France, Italy, Spain and the United States, published their findings last week in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. The Middle Paleolithic, or Middle Stone Age, which lasted from around 300,000 to 40,000 years ago, was a critical period in human evolution. In Africa, it was closely associated with the origin and evolution of early modern humans, while in Eurasia, it was linked to the development of different archaic human groups, such as the Neanderthals and Denisovans, the team said in contextualising its findings. Advertisement It was previously believed that early hominids in China showed slow technological development, particularly in adopting Middle Paleolithic advancements. But the new discoveries might change this idea, according to the paper.
