Case closed: Oldest known cave art proves Neanderthals were just as sophisticated as humans
by Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times
Feb 22, 2018
3 minutes
A red hand stencil. A series of lines that look like a ladder. A collection of red dots.
These images, painted in ocher on the walls of three separate caves in Spain, are the oldest-known examples of cave art ever found. And new research suggests that all three were created not by humans, but by our ancient cousins the Neanderthals.
In a paper published Thursday in Science, an international team of archaeologists shows that each of the three paintings was executed at least 64,000 years ago - more than 20,000 years before
You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.
Start your free 30 days