Today, 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.
Pictured here is a detail of the Megaloceros bone showing the upward pointing chevron engravings. The bone measures approximately 6cm (2 in) in length.
