The Giant deer bone of Einhornhöhle is a piece of art made in the Middle Paleolithic period by Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis). Dated to 51,000 years ago, the piece is the oldest piece of art ever found in Europe.
The Einhorn Cave near Scharzfeld is considered to be the key site for research into Neanderthals in northern Germany.[1] Since 2019, archaeologists from the Lower Saxony State Office for Monument Preservation have been conducting excavations there with the Unicornu fossile society, the operating association of the unicorn cave.[2] The Excavations are being conducted in the Jacob Friesen passage, in which hundreds of Neanderthal stone artifacts were already recovered during the 1980s. This passage leads to a buried cave entrance, which is also being excavated. Its entrance portal collapsed about 10,000 years ago. Protected under the collapse of the ceiling made of stone and earth material, the bone artefact lay in a well-preserved Neanderthal cultural layer amidst the remains of hunting prey. The engraved bone was dated to be around 51,000 years old, making it the oldest piece of art ever found in Europe.[3][4][5]
Descriptionedit
The excavation manager of Einhornhöhle Dirk Leder from the Lower Saxony State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments.
The find is a toe bone of a giant deer, about six centimeters long, four centimeters wide and three centimeters thick. On one side it features an angular line pattern of six engravings up to three centimeters long. Another pattern of four short engravings has been worked into the lower area. The bone can be placed vertically. Investigations using 3D microscopy showed that these are not battle marks, but intentionally incorporated notches. A radiocarbon dating of the bone gave an age of around 51,000 years.[6]
The researchers assume that the Neanderthals deliberately chose bones of the giant deer for their engraving because it was an imposing animal with antlers almost four meters wide. To determine the cost of the engraving, the researchers conducted experimental archaeology on the foot bone of modern-day cattle, which is comparable to that of the giant deer. They showed that the bone first had to be boiled in order to be able to engrave the softened surface of the bone with stone implements . This took about 1.5 hours for the sample.[2]
The Lower Saxony State Office for the Preservation of Monuments at the University of Göttingen, the Technical University of Braunschweig, the Universities of Kiel and Tübingen and the Free University of Berlin were involved in the research project. The research was funded by the Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture as part of the "PRO Lower Saxony" program.[2]
Evaluationedit
The decorated piece of bone is around 10,000 years older than previous finds of Upper Palaeolithic art, and previous finds have been attributable to modern humans, who only arrived in Central Europe about 40,000 years ago.
According to Thomas Terberger from the Lower Saxony State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and the Seminar for Prehistory and Early History at the University of Göttingen, the find shows that the Neanderthals produced complex signs before the arrival of modern humans in Europe, which suggests considerable cognitive abilities. The processed piece of bone speaks for the creative power of the Neanderthal and that he communicated at least through symbols. It is an indication that the Neanderthals had an aesthetic sensibility.[7] Terberger considers the bone from the cave to be an outstanding testimony from the time of the Neanderthals in Lower Saxony and for one of the most important finds from the time of the Neanderthals in Central Europe.[8] The paleontologist Silvia Bello from London's Natural History Museum sees the find as one of the most complex artistic expressions of Neanderthals.[9]
"Kreative Neandertaler verzierten Knochen". n-tv.de (in German). n-tv. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
"Universität Göttingen - Information for the Media". www.uni-goettingen.de (in German). Universität Göttingen. 5 July 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
"Neandertaler: Frühmensch schnitzte Muster in Knochen". DIE WELT (in German). 5 July 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
"Neandertaler als Künstler? - Frühmenschen hatten "ästhetisches Empfinden"". Die Welt (in German). 5 July 2021.
Dirk Leder, Raphael Hermann, Matthias Hüls, Gabrielle Russo, Philipp Hoelzmann, Ralf Nielbock, Utz Böhner, Jens Lehmann, Michael Meier, Antje Schwalb, Andrea Tröller-Reimer, Tim Koddenberg, Thomas Terberger: A 51.000 year old engraved bone reveals Neanderthalers' capacity for symbolic behaviour. In: Nature Ecology & Evolution. vom 5. Juli 2021 doi:10.1038/s41559-021-01487-z
Guido Kleinhubbert: Das Geheimnis der Einhornhöhle in: Der Spiegel vom 10. Juli 2021, S. 102–104 (Online hinter Paywall)
February 15, 2024
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The Giant deer bone of Einhornhohle is a piece of art made in the Middle Paleolithic period by Neanderthals Homo neanderthalensis Dated to 51 000 years ago the piece is the oldest piece of art ever found in Europe Giant deer foot bone of EinhornhohleIt was found in the Einhornhohle unicorn cave in the Harz Mountains of Germany Contents 1 Location 2 Description 3 Evaluation 4 References 5 BibliographyLocation editThe Einhorn Cave near Scharzfeld is considered to be the key site for research into Neanderthals in northern Germany 1 Since 2019 archaeologists from the Lower Saxony State Office for Monument Preservation have been conducting excavations there with the Unicornu fossile society the operating association of the unicorn cave 2 The Excavations are being conducted in the Jacob Friesen passage in which hundreds of Neanderthal stone artifacts were already recovered during the 1980s This passage leads to a buried cave entrance which is also being excavated Its entrance portal collapsed about 10 000 years ago Protected under the collapse of the ceiling made of stone and earth material the bone artefact lay in a well preserved Neanderthal cultural layer amidst the remains of hunting prey The engraved bone was dated to be around 51 000 years old making it the oldest piece of art ever found in Europe 3 4 5 Description edit nbsp The excavation manager of Einhornhohle Dirk Leder from the Lower Saxony State Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments The find is a toe bone of a giant deer about six centimeters long four centimeters wide and three centimeters thick On one side it features an angular line pattern of six engravings up to three centimeters long Another pattern of four short engravings has been worked into the lower area The bone can be placed vertically Investigations using 3D microscopy showed that these are not battle marks but intentionally incorporated notches A radiocarbon dating of the bone gave an age of around 51 000 years 6 The researchers assume that the Neanderthals deliberately chose bones of the giant deer for their engraving because it was an imposing animal with antlers almost four meters wide To determine the cost of the engraving the researchers conducted experimental archaeology on the foot bone of modern day cattle which is comparable to that of the giant deer They showed that the bone first had to be boiled in order to be able to engrave the softened surface of the bone with stone implements This took about 1 5 hours for the sample 2 The Lower Saxony State Office for the Preservation of Monuments at the University of Gottingen the Technical University of Braunschweig the Universities of Kiel and Tubingen and the Free University of Berlin were involved in the research project The research was funded by the Lower Saxony Ministry for Science and Culture as part of the PRO Lower Saxony program 2 Evaluation editThe decorated piece of bone is around 10 000 years older than previous finds of Upper Palaeolithic art and previous finds have been attributable to modern humans who only arrived in Central Europe about 40 000 years ago According to Thomas Terberger from the Lower Saxony State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and the Seminar for Prehistory and Early History at the University of Gottingen the find shows that the Neanderthals produced complex signs before the arrival of modern humans in Europe which suggests considerable cognitive abilities The processed piece of bone speaks for the creative power of the Neanderthal and that he communicated at least through symbols It is an indication that the Neanderthals had an aesthetic sensibility 7 Terberger considers the bone from the cave to be an outstanding testimony from the time of the Neanderthals in Lower Saxony and for one of the most important finds from the time of the Neanderthals in Central Europe 8 The paleontologist Silvia Bello from London s Natural History Museum sees the find as one of the most complex artistic expressions of Neanderthals 9 References edit Die Welt 2021a a b c Universitat Gottingen 2021 McDermott 2021 Gershon Fox Skelly Leder et al 2021 n tv 2022 Landesarchaeologen 2022 Die Welt 2021b Bibliography editFox Skelly Jasmin The animals with an eye for art BBC Gershon Livia Is This 51 000 Year Old Deer Bone Carving an Early Example of Neanderthal Art Smithsonian Magazine Symbole des Neandertalers aus der Einhornhohle im Harz landesarchaeologen de in German 30 June 2021 Retrieved 30 October 2022 Leder Dirk Hermann Raphael Huls Matthias Russo Gabriele Hoelzmann Philipp Nielbock Ralf Bohner Utz Lehmann Jens Meier Michael Schwalb Antje Troller Reimer Andrea Koddenberg Tim Terberger Thomas September 2021 A 51 000 year old engraved bone reveals Neanderthals capacity for symbolic behaviour Nature Ecology amp Evolution 5 9 1273 1282 doi 10 1038 s41559 021 01487 z ISSN 2397 334X PMID 34226702 S2CID 235746596 McDermott Amy 2 November 2021 What was the first art How would we know Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118 44 e2117561118 Bibcode 2021PNAS 11817561M doi 10 1073 pnas 2117561118 PMC 8612210 PMID 34706942 Kreative Neandertaler verzierten Knochen n tv de in German n tv 5 July 2021 Retrieved 30 October 2022 Universitat Gottingen Information for the Media www uni goettingen de in German Universitat Gottingen 5 July 2021 Retrieved 8 November 2022 Neandertaler Fruhmensch schnitzte Muster in Knochen DIE WELT in German 5 July 2021 Retrieved 30 October 2022 Neandertaler als Kunstler Fruhmenschen hatten asthetisches Empfinden Die Welt in German 5 July 2021 Dirk Leder Raphael Hermann Matthias Huls Gabrielle Russo Philipp Hoelzmann Ralf Nielbock Utz Bohner Jens Lehmann Michael Meier Antje Schwalb Andrea Troller Reimer Tim Koddenberg Thomas Terberger A 51 000 year old engraved bone reveals Neanderthalers capacity for symbolic behaviour In Nature Ecology amp Evolution vom 5 Juli 2021 doi 10 1038 s41559 021 01487 z Guido Kleinhubbert Das Geheimnis der Einhornhohle in Der Spiegel vom 10 Juli 2021 S 102 104 Online hinter Paywall Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Giant deer bone of Einhornhohle amp oldid 1177265435, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
