A recent study suggests Neandertals designed specialized fire structures to make tar from nearby plants, adding another possible adhesive to their toolkit.
Neandertals, a type of ancient human, have been found to have built complex fire structures in caves, specifically for producing tar from nearby plants.
A recent study published in Quaternary Science Reviews on November 12, 2024, suggests that Neandertals designed specialized fire structures to make tar. The researchers used a combination of chemical and visual analyses to identify the structure as a hearth made by Neandertals.
The hearth was found in Vanguard Cave in Gibraltar, which is known to have been inhabited by Neandertals around 65,000 years ago. The pit contained charcoal, pollen, and chemical compounds that point to the burning of resinous plant material, along with yellow crystals interpreted as likely tar.
The researchers re-created the structure by filling a hole with rockroses, sealing it with sand and soil, and setting a fire on top to steam the plants. After several attempts, they were able to make enough tar to make two spears from flint and olive wood.
This finding is significant because it indicates that Neandertals could have used one of the more complex and efficient methods for making tar. This adds another possible adhesive to the short list of those they used to make tools.
Archaeologist Andrew Sorensen, who was not involved with the study, suggests that finding residues on stone tools at the site matching the physical and chemical signatures of rockrose tar would do much to appease any remaining skeptics.
