New evidence suggests that Neanderthals, our ancient cousins from Europe and Asia, were skilled artists who used ocher, a yellow-brown iron-rich mineral, to create crayons. The discovery was made by analyzing two pieces of ocher found in rock shelters in Ukraine, which date back around 46,000 years.
The researchers, led by Dr. Francine D'Errico, found that the ocher chunks had been deliberately shaped into crayon-like tools and resharpened multiple times. One piece, a yellow ocher crayon, showed signs of having been used to draw or mark on soft surfaces, while another piece, a red ocher fragment, appeared to have been broken off at some point.
The findings shed new light on the artistic capabilities of Neanderthals, who were previously thought to be lacking in cognitive flexibility and symbolic capacity compared to modern humans. However, this latest research suggests that they may have had a more nuanced culture with their own set of artistic traditions.
Neanderthals' use of ocher is not just limited to art; it also has practical applications. The iron-rich mineral can be used for tanning animal hides, mixing with resins into adhesives, or repelling insects and preventing infection. The discovery highlights the versatility of Neanderthals and their resourcefulness in using available materials.
The research also provides insight into Neanderthal culture and symbolism. While it's difficult to say whether the rest of the ocher from the Zaskalnaya sites had any particular significance to the Neanderthals, the fact that they spent 70,000 years working with vividly colored pigment suggests that they may have developed a sense of aesthetics or meaning attached to colors.
The study's findings confirm what researchers have long suspected: Neanderthals were not just skilled craftsmen but also creative individuals who expressed themselves through art and symbolism. The research has significant implications for our understanding of human evolution, cognitive abilities, and artistic expression.
The researchers, led by Dr. Francine D'Errico, found that the ocher chunks had been deliberately shaped into crayon-like tools and resharpened multiple times. One piece, a yellow ocher crayon, showed signs of having been used to draw or mark on soft surfaces, while another piece, a red ocher fragment, appeared to have been broken off at some point.
The findings shed new light on the artistic capabilities of Neanderthals, who were previously thought to be lacking in cognitive flexibility and symbolic capacity compared to modern humans. However, this latest research suggests that they may have had a more nuanced culture with their own set of artistic traditions.
Neanderthals' use of ocher is not just limited to art; it also has practical applications. The iron-rich mineral can be used for tanning animal hides, mixing with resins into adhesives, or repelling insects and preventing infection. The discovery highlights the versatility of Neanderthals and their resourcefulness in using available materials.
The research also provides insight into Neanderthal culture and symbolism. While it's difficult to say whether the rest of the ocher from the Zaskalnaya sites had any particular significance to the Neanderthals, the fact that they spent 70,000 years working with vividly colored pigment suggests that they may have developed a sense of aesthetics or meaning attached to colors.
The study's findings confirm what researchers have long suspected: Neanderthals were not just skilled craftsmen but also creative individuals who expressed themselves through art and symbolism. The research has significant implications for our understanding of human evolution, cognitive abilities, and artistic expression.
I'm low-key impressed by these ancient art prodigies! Who knew that Neanderthals were crayon enthusiasts too? 
It's crazy to think that they used ocher as a creative outlet, experimenting with colors and techniques that we can only imagine from a 46,000-year-old perspective. 
Their resourcefulness with ocher is not just limited to art; it shows their adaptability in everyday life too! 
The fact that they spent 70,000 years working with vibrant pigment makes me wonder if they had an innate sense of aesthetics or meaning attached to colors... like, did they have a favorite shade? 
! 46,000 yrs old? That's even older than my grandma's jokes 
. It's mind-blowing to think that our ancient cousins were creating art and using ocher for all sorts of things like tanning animal hides #NeanderthalArt #AncientCreativity. I mean, who needs modern crayons when you've got a 46k yr old yellow ocher crayon? 
The fact that they spent 70k yrs working with vibrant colors tells me they had a deep connection to art and symbolism #ColorMeHuman. Anyway, this discovery just solidifies the fact that Neanderthals were way more than just cavepeople - they were artists and innovators at heart 
they were like modern-day artists or something... i mean, we always knew they were clever, but this is a whole new level of cool 
IT SHOWS THAT NEANDERTHALS WERE ACTUALLY PRETTY CLEVER AND CREATIVE, AND I'M HERE FOR IT!!! 
omg can u believe neanderthals were actually crayon artists 
and it's not just art either ocher has tons of practical uses like tanning hides and making adhesives 
so yeah neanderthals were literally the ultimate multi-talents 
and its not just art either, they could use the stuff for tanning hides or making adhesives 
plus it shows that they had a sense of aesthetics and symbolism which is pretty cool in my opinion 
the fact that they spent 70k years working with pigment suggests that they may have even developed their own unique culture and way of life 
I think it's pretty wild that we've only now discovered that Neanderthals were actually into art and had their own little crayon traditions