Articles producció científica> Història i Història de l'Art

A rock engraving made by Neanderthals in Gibraltar

  • Identification data

    Identifier: PC:1010
    Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/PC1010
    Authors:
    Rodríguez-Vidal, J., D'Errico, F., Pacheco, F.G., Blasco, R., Rosell, J., Jennings, R.P., Queffelec, A., Finlayson, G., Fa, D.A., López, J.M.G., Carrión, J.S., Negro, J.J., Finlayson, S., Cáceres, L.M., Bernal, M.A., Jiménez, S.F., Finlayson, C.
    Abstract:
    10.1073/pnas.1411529111

  • Others:

    Author, as appears in the article.: Rodríguez-Vidal, J., D'Errico, F., Pacheco, F.G., Blasco, R., Rosell, J., Jennings, R.P., Queffelec, A., Finlayson, G., Fa, D.A., López, J.M.G., Carrión, J.S., Negro, J.J., Finlayson, S., Cáceres, L.M., Bernal, M.A., Jiménez, S.F., Finlayson, C.
    Department: Història i Història de l'Art
    Abstract: The production of purposely made painted or engraved designs on cave walls-a means of recording and transmitting symbolic codes in a durable manner-is recognized as a major cognitive step in human evolution. Considered exclusive to modern humans, this behavior has been used to argue in favor of significant cognitive differences between our direct ancestors and contemporary archaic hominins, including the Neanderthals. Here we present the first known example of an abstract pattern engraved by Neanderthals, from Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar. It consists of a deeply impressed cross-hatching carved into the bedrock of the cave that has remained covered by an undisturbed archaeological level containing Mousterian artifacts made by Neanderthals and is older than 39 cal kyr BP. Geochemical analysis of the epigenetic coating over the engravings and experimental replication show that the engraving was made before accumulation of the archaeological layers, and that most of the lines composing the design were made by repeatedly and carefully passing a pointed lithic tool into the grooves, excluding the possibility of an unintentional or utilitarian origin (e.g., food or fur processing). This discovery demonstrates the capacity of the Neanderthals for abstract thought and expression through the use of geometric forms.
    licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
    Keyword in other language: Symbolism Middle Paleolithic Iberia cognition Art
    ISSN: 0027-8424
    Last page: 13306
    Journal volume: 111
    Papper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
    Link to the original source: http://www.pnas.org/content/111/37/13301
    Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
    Article's DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1411529111
    Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili.
    Journal publication year: 2014
    First page: 13301