An international team of scientists has studied one of the most crucial tools in the hunting kit of the Neanderthals. But Neanderthals used the tool not for hunting; they used it to craft leather clothing and bags.
“French” Neanderthals – True Fashionistas
The team of anthropologists believes that Neanderthals wore leather and carried bags more than 100,000 years ago. They investigated the Abri du Maras site in France and discovered tools made from reindeer bones. Analysis confirmed that these tools were used for removing and processing hides, which were then fashioned into durable, waterproof clothing. These tools were indispensable for the task.
Around 105,000 to 132,000 years ago, the Abri du Maras site served as a summer hunting camp for our prehistoric relatives. Returning to this location year after year, Neanderthals fed on the meat of deer and wild horses. It’s possible that the tool was invented while splitting a deer’s femur to extract bone marrow.
By analyzing the wear patterns on a fragment of the bone tool, the team found the marks were inconsistent with abrasive actions like hide scraping. Instead, the marks matched those created by repeated contact with soft tissues, IFLScience reported.
The marks on the bone tool indicate that it was used for skinning animals.
The marks on the bone tool indicate that it was used for skinning animals
Experimental reconstructions showed that the wear was likely caused by skinning. Ethnographic evidence supports this: the Algonquin peoples of North America prefer unmodified bone fragments because they can be slipped between skin and flesh without puncturing or damaging the hide.
Thus, the anthropologists theorize that Neanderthals used fragments of reindeer bone for easier, more precise skinning of animals – producing material for future clothing. The heavily smoothed tools indicate long use and could have been part of a toolkit a Neanderthal hunter carried on many hunts throughout the season at the site.
Secrets of an Ancient “Tailor Shop”
“This scenario not only suggests that Neanderthals understood the technological potential of bone and utilized it,” the study’s authors wrote. “It also emphasizes their ability to plan their technological processes in advance and select items for effective task execution.”
Using such a tool shows Neanderthals took care to avoid puncturing hides, suggesting they aimed to make clothing and bags that were waterproof.
Threads made by later Neanderthals were also found at the same site. This suggests they not only processed hides carefully but also had the skills to create durable, functional leather products.
The results of the study were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Photo: Openverse
