Neanderthals, Not Humans, Created the First Bone Tools to Work with Leather

Who made the first bone tools: Neanderthals or humans? It turns out that Neanderthals may come out first. Archaeologists have discovered that these ancient hominids may have been the first ones to craft bone tools long before the first modern humans arrived in Europe.

The findings themselves came after one researcher was sorting through tiny bone fragments. She stumbled on one particular fragment that was intriguing. After further study, she discovered that it was part of an early specialized bone tool.

"Previously, these types of bone tools have only been associated with modern humans," said Teresa E. Steele, one of the researchers, in a news release. "However, our identification of these pieces in secure Neanderthal contexts leaves open the possibility that we have found, for the first time, evidence that Neanderthals may have influenced the technology of modern humans."

The bone tools were actually first located in deposits containing typical Neanderthal stone tools and the bones of hunted animals. These creatures included reindeer, red deer and bison. Yet it isn't until now that the researchers realized that bone tools were also located among the bone fragments recovered from the site. The scientists needed to employ modern archaeological techniques to recognize that the smaller pieces were once part of sophisticated tools.

The bone tools themselves were probably used to smooth tough animal hides. After analysis, the scientists estimate that they were created about 50,000 years ago. The most interesting fact is that these tools were created by Neanderthals rather than the humans who came after them. The tools themselves are actually still used to day in similar form to help smooth and refine leather made into high-end purses and jackets.

Currently, the scientists plan to examine the pieces made by Neanderthals using sophisticated imaging techniques. They will compare these tools with the ones first made by modern humans in Europe in order to learn a little more about them and to possibly identify additional pieces made by Neanderthals.

The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.