The discovery of ancient hand stencils deep within Maltravieso Cave in Spain has revolutionized our understanding of human artistic expression. These red hand stencils, now confirmed to be at least 66,000 years old, suggest that Neanderthals, rather than modern humans, might have been the world’s first artists. This groundbreaking finding challenges long-held assumptions about the origins of art and the cognitive abilities of our ancient relatives.
Hand stencils and prints rank among the oldest known examples of deliberate visual expression preserved in the archaeological record. In Maltravieso Cave, over 60 such stencils have been identified, yet determining their precise age has been an enduring challenge. Unlike organic materials that can be dated using radiocarbon methods, mineral-based pigments typically resist direct dating. However, advances in geochemical analysis have provided new tools for uncovering the past.
Researchers from the University of Southampton, along with collaborators from other institutions, employed uranium-series (U-series) dating to analyze calcium carbonate crusts that formed over the cave’s hand stencils. This method measures the decay of uranium isotopes into thorium, offering a way to date the mineral crusts without affecting the underlying artwork. By analyzing these crusts, scientists established that the hand stencils in the cave’s Sala de las Pinturas and Galería de la Serpiente date back as far as 66,700 years. The findings, detailed in the study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, strongly imply that Neanderthals were responsible for creating these stencils.
The use of U-series dating represents a non-destructive and precise approach to dating ancient art. Unlike methods requiring the extraction of pigment samples, U-series dating examines the calcium carbonate crusts that naturally form over the artwork. This technique is particularly advantageous in caves, where water laden with dissolved minerals seeps through cracks and forms these crusts over time. The uranium in the water decays predictably into thorium within the carbonate, creating a natural clock that researchers can use to determine the crust’s age. By extension, this provides a minimum age for the artwork beneath the crust.
The researchers analyzed 22 carbonate samples from Maltravieso Cave. The dates ranged from the relatively recent Holocene epoch to the Middle Paleolithic, but the oldest samples—dated to 46,600, 55,240, and 66,710 years ago—suggest that these stencils predate the arrival of modern humans in Europe, making Neanderthals the most likely artists. While it remains possible that some of the cave art was created by modern humans, the crust’s coverage patterns suggest the majority predates their presence.
This discovery builds on other significant findings in European cave art. For example, in the Cave of La Pasiega, also in Spain, researchers used U-series dating to determine that red dot paintings were at least 64,800 years old. These dots are part of a broader artistic tradition in Spain, often attributed to Neanderthals. Similarly, in Indonesia’s Leang Timpuseng Cave, U-series dating has identified hand stencils that are around 39,900 years old, though they are considerably younger than those in Maltravieso.
The implications of these findings extend far beyond the art itself. The creation of hand stencils involves planning, symbolic thought, and a degree of manual dexterity, all of which point to sophisticated cognitive abilities in Neanderthals. Long considered brutish and unsophisticated, Neanderthals are increasingly recognized for their complex behaviors, including tool-making, symbolic burial practices, and now, artistic expression.
The tradition of creating hand stencils in caves may have had deep cultural significance, serving as a form of communication, ritual, or identity expression. These stencils often involve pressing a hand against the rock surface and blowing or spitting pigment around it, leaving a negative imprint. The act itself, as well as its symbolic representation, could have been deeply meaningful, connecting individuals or groups to the landscape and to each other.
Maltravieso Cave is not the only site where ancient handprints provide a glimpse into humanity’s artistic past. On the Tibetan Plateau, handprints and footprints dating back approximately 200,000 years have been found, preserved in mud near a hot spring. While these impressions are debated—some suggest they were mere traces of activity rather than deliberate art—they nonetheless hint at the deep history of human interaction with the environment.
The significance of Neanderthals in the history of art also reframes our understanding of cultural evolution. Previously, modern humans were credited with the symbolic thinking that led to art, language, and other hallmarks of advanced cognition. However, findings like those in Maltravieso suggest that these abilities may have developed independently in Neanderthals, or perhaps even earlier in a common ancestor shared with modern humans.
In addition to their symbolic importance, these discoveries reveal the ingenuity of ancient peoples in utilizing their environment. The pigments used for the stencils were likely derived from naturally occurring minerals, while the tools and techniques for applying them demonstrate a high degree of skill. The selection of cave sites, often deep and difficult to access, further highlights the deliberate nature of these artistic endeavors.
Despite these remarkable insights, questions remain. For instance, the precise reasons behind the creation of hand stencils are still speculative. Were they marks of territory, expressions of identity, or part of ritual practices? Additionally, the extent to which Neanderthal art influenced or was influenced by modern humans, should their timelines have overlapped, remains an area of active research.
Looking to the future, advancements in technology promise to refine our understanding of ancient art further. Non-invasive imaging techniques, such as laser scanning and infrared spectroscopy, can reveal hidden details and identify pigments without damaging the artwork. Meanwhile, expanding the use of U-series dating and other geochemical methods to more sites will help build a comprehensive timeline of artistic activity across regions and species.
The discovery of Neanderthal hand stencils in Maltravieso Cave marks a pivotal moment in the study of human history. It challenges stereotypes about Neanderthals, underscores their cognitive sophistication, and situates them as key contributors to the legacy of artistic expression. These ancient marks, preserved in the depths of a Spanish cave, remind us of the shared humanity that links us to our distant ancestors and inspire new questions about the origins of creativity and culture.