Approximately 46,000 years ago, a group of Neanderthals resided in caves in what is now Spain and gathered fossils, as reported by a researcher in a paper published in the magazine Quaternary period.
Marine fossils from the Prado Vargas Cave, Spain. Image credit: Lewis others., doi: 10.3390/quat7040049.
Collecting is a form of leisure, even a passion, involving the collection, preservation, and display of objects.
When tracing its origins in literature, we are reminded of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal (7th century BC) known for collecting books, marking the emergence of writing and the dissemination of knowledge on clay tablets.
This innate curiosity and interest in collecting stones and fossils, known as manuports, dates back to the dawn of humanity.
Archaeologists have long known that Neanderthal dwellings contained objects devoid of practical value, indicating a cultural significance attached to these items.
In the case of the Prado Vargas Cave in Cornejo, Burgos, Spain, archaeologist Marta Navazo Ruiz and her team unearthed 15 marine fossils from the Late Cretaceous period in the cave’s Mousterian level.
The fossils, primarily mollusks and a few echinoderms, hinted at a deliberate collection rather than accidental gathering by the Neanderthals.
The presence of these fossils within the cave suggests intentional behavior, possibly for social or symbolic purposes.
The researchers proposed hypotheses ranging from aesthetic appreciation to cultural identity reinforcement through these fossil collections.
This discovery elevates the Prado Vargas Neanderthals as early fossil collectors, shedding light on their efforts towards understanding and preserving natural history.
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Marta Navazo Ruiz others. 2024. Were Neanderthals the first collectors? First evidence found in level 4 of the Prado Vargas cave in Cornejo, Burgos, Spain. Quaternary period 7(4):49;doi: 10.3390/quat7040049
Source: www.sci.news
