In Vanguard Cave in Gibraltar, one of the places that hosted the last Neanderthal of Europe, archaeologists have made an exceptional discovery. An ancient oven dating back 60.000 years, designed for the production of glue. Not just a simple cooking hearth, but a complex structure that demonstrates surprising technological capabilities. This discovery is radically changing our understanding of the intelligence and abilities of our prehistoric cousins.
An ingenious structure in the ancient oven
The sediment layer is dated between 67.000 and 60.000 years ago, researchers have identified something unique. A structure that clearly shows the intervention of human hands: an ancient oven with a circular shape, equipped with two channels and a thick lining of the walls.
This is not a simple cooking hearth. The complexity of the construction suggests a specific and very sophisticated purpose. Chemical analyses they revealed traces of combustion of resinous plant materials, including charred wood and microscopic fragments of ash.
These elements led the team to a fascinating conclusion: the structure It was used to heat specific plants in controlled, oxygen-free conditions by burning grasses and shrubs. And what do we do with it?
The process of producing prehistoric glue
According to researchers, Neanderthals used this ancient oven to produce a sticky substance from birch bark. The process required a sophisticated understanding of materials and fire control. In particular, they used Cistaceae, local flowering plants, to create this prehistoric glue.
To test their theory, the research team recreated a similar structure and conducted a practical experiment. The results were surprising: By distilling a small bunch of young cistus leaves in a closed and almost oxygen-free environment, they managed to produce enough glue material to secure two spearheads.
Using only tools and materials available in the area during the reference period, they demonstrated the practical feasibility of their hypothesis.
Ancient Oven, Implications for Our Understanding of Neanderthals
The ability to create a sticky substance from raw ingredients, and then use it to improve complex tools, requires a remarkable level of intelligence. Some anthropologists argue that this shows that our prehistoric cousins had a basic understanding of combustion and chemistry.
The discovery of the ancient oven definitively challenges the antiquated stereotype of Neanderthals as primitive and brutal. Archaeological evidence continues to reveal their acute intelligence, intricate cultural practices, and profound emotional complexity.
The research, published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews (I link it to you here), adds an important piece to our understanding of our extinct “near-relatives.” Their ability to produce sophisticated adhesives testifies not only to advanced technical skills, but also to a high degree of social cooperation and communication.
The Technological Legacy of Neanderthals
As mentioned, Vanguard Cave overlooking the Western Mediterranean is one of the last places inhabited by Neanderthals in Europe before their extinction. The presence of this ancient oven tells us a story of innovation and adaptation.
It is ironic that despite their remarkable technological capabilities, including the production of glue, Neanderthals failed to avoid extinction. However, their innovations they continue to surprise us and to remind us how complex the history of human intelligence is.
The next time you use glue, remember that you are tapping into an innovation that predates our species, perfected in a seaside cave by some of our most ingenious ancestors.
