In 2011, an unsuspecting undergraduate student named Naomi Martisius was working in the paleoanthropology lab at the University of California, Davis, when she made an extraordinary discovery. Sorting through small bone fragments, she stumbled upon an unusual piece that caught her attention. This seemingly insignificant bone remnant, originally recovered from a French archaeological site, turned out to be part of a specialized tool crafted by Neandertals long before modern humans ever set foot in Europe.
At the time, Martisius had no idea the magnitude of her find. The bone fragment she uncovered was a piece of evidence that would go on to challenge long-standing assumptions about Neandertal technology. These bone tools, once thought to be the exclusive domain of early modern humans, were now recognized as having been used by Neandertals, suggesting that these ancient hominins may have contributed to the technological advancements of their more recent human counterparts.
Now pursuing her Ph.D. in anthropology at UC Davis, Martisius reflects on the significance of the discovery and the chain of events that followed. Her findings were not made in isolation but were part of a larger international collaboration that spanned a decade of excavation and research at various archaeological sites. Their results were published in the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in August, marking a major breakthrough in understanding the technological capabilities of Neandertals.
The study, co-authored by Teresa E. Steele, an associate professor of anthropology at UC Davis, emphasizes how these bone tools, which were used to soften tough animal hides, were a significant step in prehistoric technology. Steele, who mentored Martisius during her time at UC Davis and assisted in excavations in France, explained that bone tools of this nature had previously been associated only with modern humans. But with the discovery of these tools in secure Neandertal contexts, the possibility now exists that Neandertals may have influenced the technological practices of early modern humans.
The bone tools, dated to about 50,000 years ago, were found in deposits alongside typical Neandertal stone tools and the bones of animals such as reindeer, red deer, and bison. These sites, including the Abri Peyrony site in France, had been excavated for over a century, but it was only with the aid of modern archaeological techniques that researchers were able to identify the bone fragments as part of a complex tool-making tradition. These discoveries are not only reshaping our understanding of Neandertal behavior but also raising new questions about how the technological innovations of Neandertals may have influenced the development of early human cultures.
Martisius and her collaborators at UC Davis are now investigating the tools more thoroughly. With the resources available at UC Davis, Martisius plans to carry out experimental studies to create new bone tools similar to those found in the archaeological record. These experimental replicas will allow her to compare the Neandertal tools with those created by early modern humans and with the tools she produces herself. Using advanced imaging techniques, she will closely examine the bone fragments and their markings to understand better how Neandertals made and used these tools.
Part of Martisius’ ongoing research will involve studying other nearby archaeological sites to identify additional pieces of bone tools that could potentially be linked to Neandertal craftsmanship. By understanding the techniques employed by Neandertals, Martisius hopes to clarify how these ancient people might have shaped the tools and how those practices could have informed the tool-making traditions of modern humans. This analysis could lead to new insights into Neandertal cognitive abilities, social structures, and interactions with their environment.
The significance of these bone tools cannot be overstated. Leatherworking tools such as these are still used today to refine and smooth leather for luxury items such as high-end purses and jackets. The discovery suggests that Neandertals were capable of highly specialized craftsmanship—an ability that was long believed to be a hallmark of modern human culture. These bone tools add to the growing body of evidence showing that Neandertals were not the brutish, technologically unsophisticated creatures once depicted in popular media but rather were skilled toolmakers who likely possessed complex cognitive abilities.
Martisius’ work is part of a larger movement within the field of paleoanthropology to reevaluate the relationship between Neandertals and early modern humans. For years, the prevailing narrative suggested that modern humans were the sole creators of complex tools and that Neandertals had been largely limited to basic stone tool technology. However, as new discoveries continue to surface, it has become increasingly clear that Neandertals may have had a far more sophisticated grasp of technology and culture than previously thought.
The implications of these findings go beyond just Neandertal tool use. If Neandertals were making specialized bone tools, it raises new questions about the ways in which they interacted with their environment and how they adapted to the challenges they faced. It also challenges us to reconsider the way we view early human evolution. The line between Neandertals and modern humans is not as distinct as once believed, and this discovery further blurs that boundary, showing that both groups may have shared more technological and cultural traits than previously acknowledged.
In her ongoing research, Martisius will continue to explore these questions. By creating experimental replicas of Neandertal bone tools and studying them with advanced technology, she hopes to gain deeper insights into how Neandertals made and used their tools. This will involve analyzing the wear patterns on the bone fragments, which can reveal how the tools were handled, as well as conducting experiments to see how these tools might have performed in real-world conditions.
The research at UC Davis is also shedding light on the broader field of paleoanthropology by demonstrating the value of interdisciplinary collaboration. The joint efforts of researchers from various fields—archaeology, anthropology, and experimental science—are helping to unlock the secrets of our ancient past. By combining traditional excavation techniques with modern scientific tools, researchers like Martisius and Steele are able to push the boundaries of our understanding of human evolution and the cultural practices of ancient hominins.
The findings at Abri Peyrony and other sites also highlight the importance of long-term archaeological research. While some of the bones and tools were discovered more than a century ago, it is only with the advent of modern technology and more refined analytical methods that we are able to recognize the true significance of these discoveries. These tools are no longer seen as mere fragments of ancient debris, but as key pieces of evidence in the story of human evolution.
More information: www.pnas.org/content/110/35/14186.full