This is how Neanderthals made tar 60,000 years ago

A hearth dating back 60,000 years has been identified as evidence of Neanderthals’ ability to produce tar, a material crucial for making tools and weapons. The discovery highlights a ringed ditch design used to extract tar from rockrose (Cistus ladanifer). This tar was used to bind stone tools to wooden shafts, demonstrating a previously underestimated technological sophistication.

Use of fire by Neanderthals investigated

The study was detailed in Quaternary Scientific Reviews and on Science.org it was noted by Juan Ochando, professor of plant biology at the University of Murcia, Spain, that this was the first recorded use of Cistus ladanifer by Neanderthals for tar extraction. The discovery was described as unexpected and indicative of complex behavioral traits.

The role of fire in Neanderthal societies is well documented for basic activities such as cooking and heating. However, evidence from this site shows that it is used in advanced processes such as tar production. Chemical and geological analysis of the well revealed that its construction involved specific layers, including minerals, guano and plant material. The research points to this complexity as evidence of highly organized activities.

Tar production process reconstructed

To understand the Neanderthal method, the scientists recreated the hearth and followed derivative steps. The leaves of the rockrose were placed first at the base of the ditch, followed by a mixture of soil and sand and a top layer of guano. The fire was kindled using dry grasses and after cooling, tar was collected under a hardened crust. Within four hours, usable tar was produced, which was successfully used to attach a stone tool to a wooden shaft.

Adaptation to identified resources

This hearth highlighted the Neanderthals’ ability to adapt to their environment by utilizing locally available resources. Rockrose was probably abundant in the area, making it a suitable alternative to birch, another plant historically linked to tar production. The study concluded that these layered fire pits reflected the deliberate and skillful construction of tools and weapons, enhancing the advanced capabilities of the Neanderthals.