The main underground archaeological dig inside Einhornhöhle (Unicorn Cave) is the infill that completely blocks the original natural entrance. It has been ongoing since 1984 when excavations began. During the fieldtrip a team of archaeologists work this site, digging down through the layers of sediment fill in search of new archaeological finds. In the summer of 2021, researchers announced the discovery of the first directly-dated piece of Neanderthal art: A distinctly-carved bone from a now extinct giant deer (Megaloceros giganteus). It was excavated from sediments that blocked an ancient entrance to Einhornhöhle (Unicorn Cave) in Germany’s Harz Mountains. Most Important to researchers, the bone featured a deliberate engraving in the form of a chevron, indicating that Neanderthals had the capacity for symbolic thinking—and what some researchers believe is “art.”. These findings were recently published in the journal Nature Evolution & Ecology.
