Art has long been seen as a unique trait of humans. For years, experts doubted that early humans, especially those from the Upper Paleolithic era (45,000 to 12,000 years ago), could create art. However, discoveries in Europe changed that perception. But what about Neanderthals, our ancient relatives? Recent findings show that they were indeed capable of artistic expression, although their art looks different from what we typically associate with creativity.
Neanderthal art is non-figurative. Instead of drawings of animals or people, they created hand stencils, geometric shapes, and finger flutings—marks left by pressing fingers into soft surfaces. They lived across western Eurasia from about 400,000 years ago until their extinction around 40,000 years ago, often portrayed as primitive “cavemen.” This image has been challenged, especially with the growing body of evidence surrounding their ability to create art.
Recent studies confirmed that Neanderthals did make art in caves in Spain. At sites like La Pasiega, Maltravieso, and Ardales, they left behind handprints, lines, and colorful marks using natural pigments. A notable discovery in Maltravieso cave revealed a hand stencil dated to be at least 66,700 years old. This challenges the long-held belief that such artistic expression was exclusive to modern humans.
In addition to cave paintings, Neanderthals left intricate finger flutings in France’s La Roche Cotard cave. These markings show organized patterns, indicating a level of intentionality. In the Bruniquel cave, southwestern France, they constructed a unique arrangement of stalactites, possibly engaging in what we might now call installation art.
Determining the age of these creations isn’t straightforward. Experts typically rely on dating methods like radiocarbon dating of charcoal or uranium-thorium dating of flowstones that formed over the art. These methods have shown that the Neanderthal art predates the arrival of modern humans in Europe by at least 22,000 years. This clears any doubt about who created the images—they were the work of Neanderthals.
The implications of these findings are significant. They suggest that Neanderthals possessed a form of artistic awareness, perhaps even an engagement with the imaginary. According to experts, this could mean they recognized their own existence and agency in a more profound way than previously thought.
The conversation about Neanderthals and their capabilities is far from over. As archaeology continues to unearth more evidence, new insights will emerge, reshaping our understanding of not just Neanderthals, but the very essence of what it means to be human.
For additional details, you can explore the research published in Science on Neanderthal art.
