A red fingerprint in the middle of a face-shaped pebble suggests Neanderthals may have been able to create symbolic art.

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Researchers in central Spain say they may have uncovered one of the most ancient symbolic objects bearing a human fingerprint on record in Europe, dating back tens of thousands of years. Unlocking the secret identity of exactly who made the mark involved enlisting the help of forensic experts working in crime scene investigations.

The pebble marked with the print, found in the San Lázaro rock shelter in Segovia, hints at the possible capacity of Neanderthals to create symbolic art, according to a new study. The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence, including cave markings and paintings unearthed in recent years, building the case that our prehistoric relatives who went extinct about 40,000 years ago were more like modern humans than some might think.

Pettitt said he was unsurprised by the findings.

“It represents yet another example of the emerging data that are revealing Neanderthal visual culture,” he explained. “This is an admirably clear and unequivocal example of the Neanderthal use of red pigment, one of a growing database that reveals that Neanderthals were routinely using pigments to leave marks of their bodies (hands, fingertips) on cave walls and portable objects.”

One theory is that the hollows on the rock resemble parts of a face: eyes, mouth and chin. The placement of the red dot, the researchers hypothesized, could be the place of a nose. If that is the case, the pebble marking would constitute a visual sign with a symbolic purpose.

lees meer: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/05/29/science/neanderthal-complete-fingerprint-stone-art-scli-intl