A recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports has found that Neanderthals used rhinoceros teeth as tools, providing further evidence of their complex cognitive abilities. Researchers analyzed a collection of 44,000-year-old artifacts from the site of La Cotte de St Brelade on the island of Jersey, in the English Channel.
The study, led by Dr. Naomi Sykes of the University of Exeter, identified that Neanderthals had modified rhino teeth to create tools for tasks such as scraping hides or working wood. The teeth were carefully shaped and used, indicating a level of planning and skill previously underestimated.
This discovery challenges the long-held view of Neanderthals as simple brutes. Instead, it suggests they were capable of complex behaviors, including the use of diverse materials for tool-making. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that Neanderthals were more sophisticated than once thought.
The research team used microscopic analysis and experimental archaeology to confirm that the teeth were used as tools. They also noted that the choice of rhino teeth, which are hard and durable, shows an understanding of material properties.
