A team of researchers reported a finding about the symbolic ability of Neanderthals. The results were published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour. This discovery changed what was thought of the exclusivity of the human species in assigning symbols to objects, as it was discovered that the Neanderthals used symbols also.
Neanderthals shared a form of symbology between generations.
The discovery was announced by the University of Algarve and researcher Ana Abrunhosa was part of the team. It is part of the Interdisciplinary Center for Archeology and Evolution of Human Behavior at the University of Algarve. The research was coordinated by Enrique Baquedano, archaeologist, Juan Luis Arsuaga, paleontologist, and Alfredo Perez González, geologist.
The way researchers realized that Neanderthals had the ability to assign symbols was by analyzing the use of animal skulls as hunting trophies. During the research in the caves in Pinill del Valle in Madrid, skulls of Herbivores were found, all with the same characteristics: all were without the upper jaw and the brain, leaving part of the skull with the horns. This group of Neanderthals lived in this region for over 40,000 years.
According to the researchers, this symbology was maintained for many generations, that is, there was a tradition in this ritual. In the construction of the article, researchers from the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid also participated. Until now, it was thought that only our species had the ability to assign symbols, but this discovery proves the opposite.
Enrique Baquedano, director of the Archaeological and Paleontological Museum of Madrid, commented on the symbolic capacity of Neanderthals:
“Until now, our species has been considered the only one able to attribute concepts to symbols, a theory that, based on this discovery, obliges us to share this intellectual attribute with Neanderthals.”
In addition to skulls, lithic tools used by Neanderthals were found, made with available materials such as rocks and crystals. Thus, this species did not depend on a single raw material to develop ways of carrying out daily activities.