Neanderthals were authentic “underground architects” 175,000 years ago – Hipertextual

The entrance, a hole the size of a rabbit hole, not allowed to guess what was in that cave. Southwestern France, the village of Bruniquel housed one of the greatest treasures of the history of human evolution. It was in 1990 when an amateur potholing, member of the society Caussade, dug into the bowels of the earth. That was how he discovered the cave of Bruniquel, a cavity half a kilometer, in which a real paleontological wealth was hidden.

The structures discovered in Bruniquel, along with the remains fire, show a “deliberate and complex construction”

the member Caussade not expect to find what he saw when he lifted the wall that had been deposited naturally thousands of years ago at the entrance of the cave. And yet, there was the majestic, wide and protected from inclement weather and the entry of animals or humans cavity. Bruniquel cave with remains of bones that would be analyzed in 1992, had on its walls with scratches from bears that could get into it before their hollowness closed. But most surprising of the cave was only three hundred meters from the entrance. A study, published today in Nature , has revealed the secrets of the cavity. At work shows that the Neanderthals were authentic “underground architects” 175,000 years ago.

The Jacques Jaubert , University of Bordeaux he has released the findings of six structures made by Neanderthals in the cave of Bruniquel. Scientists described in Nature the presence of two circular buildings, consisting of broken stalagmites, measuring 6.7 x 2.2 x 4.5 meters and 2.1 meters respectively. Alongside these works annularly, researchers have proven the existence of four stacks, two in the center of the larger circular structure and two on the outside. The presence of such structures, with the remains of fire found, is described by the French specialists as an “intentional and complex” construction. According to their findings, the discovery suggests that the social behavior of Neanderthals was more complex than believed so far.

Overview of the room studied, with circular constructions stalagmites inside the cave Bruniquel . Credit:. Etienne FABRE – SSAC

3D simulation of the constructs described in Nature, made by Neanderthals 175,000 years ago. Credit: Xavier ARMSTRONG – Get in Situ, Archéotransfert, Archéovision SHS-3D | Pascal Mora.

One of the scientists examining the remains found in southwestern France. Credit:. Michel SOULIER – SSAC

The location of the remains inside the cave Bruniquel helped preserve its existence for 175,000 years. The discovery is significant because it shows that Neanderthals were capable of performing constructions below ground level, in addition to master the techniques to illuminate the grotto. Otherwise could not explain the transfer and placement of the more than 400 pieces of calcite stalagmites, with a total weight of 2.2 tons . “They are indicative of modernity” of our ancestors, say scientists in the study, which suggest that there have been few remains and buildings belonging to the Neanderthals found until now, beyond bone and stone tools. The researchers also suggest that buildings dating uranium, clearly belong to Homo neanderthalensis . “It was the only population of hominids who lived in Europe at that time,” they say.

The remains are an indication of modernity and greater social complexity of that was attributed to this species

“It’s a lot of research,” says this means João Zilhão . ICREA Professor at the University of Barcelona, ​​specializing in prehistoric studies also describes the implications of the study as “solid and sensible”. In the same vein pronounced the Dr. Eudald Carbonell , IPHES famous archaeologist and co-director of the Atapuerca excavations. Speaking to Hipertextual , the researcher points out that the discovery is “very important” because it is the oldest building of its kind that is in a cave like Bruniquel. Similar structures senior, ritual, funerary or symbolic purposes, yes have been described outdoors.

According to Carbonell, the study of the construction of Bruniquel provides more empirical evidence about the “social complexity “already they showed Neanderthals, which have also targeted their research on the famous Pit of Bones. “ This drops pseudoscientific theory of creationism,” which proclaim that only the human species shows a level of complexity, according to the general director of the Atapuerca Foundation. The Neanderthals, who were the first group of hominids in socializing fire control, were also authentic “underground architects” thousands of years ago. Investigations shall determine in the future if, as it seems, the constructions of Bruniquel had a symbolic purpose or ritual or, on the other hand, had a domestic or served as a refuge for our ancestors.