Uncovering the Neandertals’ Ingenious Tar-Making Hearth

Neandertals were skilled in the art of fire-making. In a sheltered sea cave near Gibraltar, our ancient relatives ⁤constructed a hearth that was capable of ‌producing tar⁤ from local plants, according to a recent study.
“The discovery took us by surprise,” remarked Juan Ochando Tomás, a botanist at the University of Murcia in ⁣Spain. Through interdisciplinary research and analysis, the team was able to confirm that the⁣ structure was‍ indeed a hearth created by Neandertals.
Ochando⁣ Tomás and his colleagues uncovered ⁣a small pit within layers of sand, clay, and silt dating back around 65,000 years ⁣in⁤ a cave⁣ where Neandertals were known to‌ have⁣ lived. By conducting various chemical and visual tests on the ⁣pit’s contents‍ and surrounding sediments, they made significant discoveries.
Their findings indicated that the‌ pit contained charcoal, pollen, and chemical compounds associated with burning resinous plant material. Additionally, they identified ‌yellow crystals‌ believed to be tar likely derived from resin extracted from gum rockrose (Cistus ⁢ladanifer), a⁤ plant found in⁢ nearby shrublands.

2024-12-02 13:00:00
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