Discover the Oldest Fingerprint: Could Neanderthals Be the Original Artists?

One day, about 43,000 years ago, a Neanderthal man in central Spain stumbled upon a curious granite pebble. Its smooth curves and distinct shapes caught his attention. Perhaps it reminded him of a face, leading him to pick it up, study it, and then use his finger to apply red pigment right at the spot that seemed like the nose.

This act likely left behind the world’s oldest known human fingerprint, marking an important piece of European art history. Recent findings from a team of Spanish archaeologists and forensic experts highlight the significance of this discovery, which took nearly three years to analyze.

In July 2022, the excavation at San Lázaro rock shelter near Segovia revealed this unusual stone. It didn’t appear to be a tool, like a hammer or an anvil but something more special. As David Álvarez Alonso, a lead archaeologist, noted, the stone was oddly shaped with a red dot that sparked curiosity. "It looks like a face," he said, leading the researchers to wonder if it served a symbolic purpose.

To confirm their hypothesis, the team conducted further tests. They discovered the red pigment was made from iron oxides and clay minerals unique to the area. After enlisting scientific police, they validated that the fingerprint was indeed human, likely from an adult male.

Álvarez Alonso pointed out that the placement of the red dot seemed intentional. “It couldn’t have been a coincidence that the dot is where it is. Why would they bring this pebble into the cave if it didn’t mean something?” he asked. The absence of ochre in the cave raised questions about how they sourced the pigment, suggesting it was brought from afar.

This discovery, reported in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, suggests that Neanderthals expressed symbolic thought through art long before modern humans. This challenges the long-held belief that creativity was exclusive to Homo sapiens.

Experts in anthropology see this as a pivotal moment. According to findings from various archaeological studies, Neanderthals showcased abilities for artistic expression, similar to modern humans. This pebble could represent one of the earliest abstractions of a human face in history. Such expressions hint at complex cognitive processes: imagining, communicating, and attributing meaning.

The discussion about Neanderthal creativity often stirs debates. Álvarez Alonso noted, “If this were a pebble from 5,000 years ago, it would be called art without question. Associating Neanderthals with art generates more discussion, revealing a kind of bias.”

Yet the archaeologist believes these ancient humans had the same capacity for recognizing beauty in objects, just like we do today. "They were human too," he insisted, emphasizing that this unique find opens new pathways for understanding the cognitive abilities of Neanderthals.

As we examine this pebble and its markings, we gain insight into how early humans viewed their world—one filled with symbols and meanings, precisely like ours.

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