BarcelonaNeanderthals shaped wooden spears, trays and a club-like tool.
Wood rots, so stone dominates the record of Neanderthal technology.
Travertine at Abric Romaní kept imprints of rotted timber, and researchers confirmed 13 of nearly 600 objects as Neanderthal-made or used.
“Only one site, in one area, and one time span,” said Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum.
The team found no parallel for the club-like object at any other Palaeolithic site.
How each outlet framed it
- New Scientist
- emphasizes archaeological bias correction—first systematic review of 600 objects shows wood technology was substantial, not just stone tools
Sources: New Scientist