Stone implements have long dominated the archaeological narrative of prehistoric human life, largely because durable minerals survive the relentless decay of centuries while organic materials vanish. A new comprehensive analysis of wooden artifacts and imprints retrieved from the Abric Romaní archaeological site near Barcelona, Spain, challenges that stone-centric view. Researchers cataloged a collection of 597 wooden remains and imprints dating back roughly 62,000 to 42,000 years, offering a rare glimpse into the sophisticated ways Neanderthals utilized organic resources.
Published in Science Advances, the study details thirteen distinct objects that include spears, pointed items, bark containers, structural elements, and a club-like tool featuring a narrow handle and a bumpy head. While previous discoveries hinted at Neanderthal woodworking abilities, the Abric Romaní assemblage stands out due to its scale and persistence. The items appear across multiple archaeological layers spanning thousands of years, confirming that shaping wood was a routine practice rather than an occasional or isolated behavior.
Working with fragile organic remains has historically presented massive hurdles for researchers, requiring complex molding and intensive conservation treatments. However, recent advances in 3D recording technology allowed the scientific team to rapidly reconstruct samples and conduct a large-scale evaluation of the entire collection. This modern approach enabled archaeologists to map out how diverse the wooden inventory truly was, stretching from hunting weapons to tools designed for organizing living spaces.
Excavations at the Spanish site remain ongoing, with researchers uncovering new imprints as fresh surfaces emerge. Future investigations aim to quantify the labor required to manufacture and maintain these perishable tools, as well as link them directly to broader behavioral patterns. Ultimately, the findings emphasize that the Paleolithic era was far from a world made solely of stone, highlighting a vast, invisible material culture that historically eluded researchers.
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