Spanish archaeologists from the University of Madrid have found a great antiques in the San Lasaro cave-a granite rock with natural depth, reminiscent of the face of a human being, conservation of fingerprints of a Neanderthal. A discovery of about 43 thousand years may be the oldest example of visual art in Europe. The research was published in the Journal of Archeology and Anthropology Science (A & AS).
A 20 cm abnormal stone has attracted the attention of scientists with their personalization. In particular, the Ocher Red point, lying exactly in the “face” should have nose. Forensic medical experts confirm that this pigment traces are left with the fingertips of a mature war man.
The position of the point is not by chance – it is perfectly recorded in the natural borders of the stone. This shows an intentional action, and is not a random pollution, he explains, the project manager David Alvarez Alonso.
This discovery clarifies Neanderthal's cognitive abilities. Scientists argue that antiques express the three basic aspects of symbolic thinking: the ability to visualize the spiritual image, intentional communication and meaning to the inanimate objects.
The researchers noted that if an same antiques were created by Homo sapiens, its artistic nature would not cause doubts. The uniqueness of the object complicates its explanation, but the scientists claim that the Neanderthals owns have developed abstract thinking, not inferior to the cognitive ability of modern people.