Prehistoric Art Discovered: Early Humans Showed Abstract Thinking 100,000 Years Ago
About 100,000 years ago, a group of early humans gathered on a terrace before a cave in the Lower Galilee to bury one of their own. Among the offerings placed with the deceased were sea shells, pieces of ochre, and a lithic artifact.
Recent research by Israeli and European scholars has uncovered the significance of that tool, unearthed in the 1970s from a site known now as the Qafzeh Cave. This discovery supports the idea that our ancestors were capable of abstract thinking and artistic expression thousands of years earlier than previously thought.
Challenging Conventional Views
Traditionally, researchers believed that modern humans developed abstract thinking and sophisticated behaviors around 50,000 years ago, thanks to their advanced cognitive abilities and superior organizational skills. This allowed them to conquer other hominins like the Neanderthals, according to this Eurocentric viewpoint.
Dr. Mae Goder-Goldberger, who co-authored the study published in the Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences journal, argues that abstract thinking and the use of symbols existed much earlier. Goder-Goldberger, a researcher at both the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, worked alongside Dr. João Marreiros of the Laboratory for Traceology and Controlled Experiments at MONREPOS, Johannes Gutenberg University, and the University of Algarve.
Discoveries from Multiple Sites
The artifacts analyzed in the study came from several prehistoric sites in modern-day Israel, including a core from the Qafzeh Cave, a core from the Manot Cave, a plaquette from Quneitra, and two blades from the Amud Cave. These stone tools and engraved stones are crucial in understanding the cognitive abilities of early humans.
Left: Located in Central Galilee, the Qafzeh Cave presents burials dating from 120,000 to 90,000 years ago. Right: Located in the Galilee, the Amud Cave presents burials of Neanderthal individuals and tool manufacturing from the Middle Paleolithic. (E. Hovers)
The Qafzeh Cave, situated just below Nazareth, contains burials that date from 120,000 to 90,000 years ago. The Manot Cave, located in the Galilee, was in use during the Upper Paleolithic but also contains Middle Paleolithic artifacts. Quneitra, standing on the Israeli side of the Golan Heights, was operational 54,000 years ago and was excavated in the 1970s.
Understanding the Artifacts
The researchers focused on the patterns on the artifacts to determine if they were intentionally engraved. They measured the decorations, including radiating lines from the highest point of a core found at Manot, parallel lines on a core from Qafzeh, and concentric circles on a plaquette from Quneitra.
New research indicates that some Middle Paleolithic people intentionally decorated stone tools. Here are 3D models of the artifacts considered in the study. A: Engraved artifacts from the Amud Cave. B: Engraved artifacts of Manot. C: Engraved artifacts of Quneitra (left) and Qafzeh (right). (E. Paixão and L. Schunk)
Dr. Goder-Goldberger confirmed that these patterns were intentional, suggesting that someone used a hard stone to carve them, following the tool’s natural form.
The plaquette from Quneitra stands out because it was picked for decoration alone, serving no practical purpose. This makes it a true piece of art.
Comparative Analysis
The study also considered tools from the Amud Cave, which features random marks likely created during tool polishing rather than intentional engraving. These marks help to highlight the deliberate design seen in the other artifacts.
Drawing of engravings on a Middle Paleolithic core found at the Manot Cave in the Galilee. (M. Smelansk)
The researchers acknowledge that intentionally decorated tools from the Middle Paleolithic period are rare, with only a few existing over a 50,000-year period. However, they demonstrate that these early humans, which could have been either archaic modern humans or Neanderthals, had the cognitive ability to create them.
Implications for Human Evolution
Dr. Goder-Goldberger’s research challenges the notion that the toolkit of symbolism, abstract thinking, and social interactions emerged suddenly with modern humans 50,000 years ago. Instead, it suggests that these abilities developed gradually over time.
Located in the Galilee, the Amud Cave presents both burials of Neanderthal individuals and tool manufacturing from the Middle Paleolithic. (E. Hovers)
These findings are significant as they redefine our understanding of human evolution, showing that complex cognitive and symbolic behaviors may have originated much earlier than previously assumed.
Conclusion
The discovery of intentionally engraved artifacts from prehistoric sites in Israel offers a glimpse into the cognitive and artistic abilities of early humans. These findings not only challenge traditional narratives about human development but also provide a deeper understanding of our evolutionary past.
As we continue to uncover new evidence from ancient sites, we gain valuable insights into the minds and societies of our ancestors. The research by Dr. Mae Goder-Goldberger and her team represents a significant step in our ongoing exploration of human history.
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