Study identifies 13 modified Neanderthal wooden tools in Spanish rock-shelter molds

Five hundred ninety-seven molds left after wood decayed

At Abric Romaní, a rock shelter in Capellades, mineral-rich water formed a crust around wood that later decayed, leaving hollow molds. The reported study cataloged 597 such wooden remains from Neanderthal occupation layers dated about 62,000 to 40,000 years ago. Most were natural wood or firewood, while researchers classified 13 as made or modified tools.

The surviving early wooden-artifact record described in the article was largely weapon-focused, and wooden work from Paleolithic living areas has been poorly documented because wood decays quickly.

The reported catalog adds a set of modified wooden tools from Neanderthal living areas, including items associated with activities beyond hunting.

The reported finds come from areas where Neanderthals lived and worked, rather than only from contexts associated with hunting. They could broaden the archaeological evidence for routine woodworking and varied uses of wood.