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Discovery reveals intentional engravings on 100.000-year-old stone tools, suggesting symbolic thought and creativity among early humans
Subtle marks on ancient stone tools may be more than just functional cuts. They could hold the key to understanding the earliest signs of abstract and symbolic thought among our ancestors.
A recent study led by archaeologists from Hebrew School of Jerusalem, in Israel, revealed that several tools Stone carvings, made between 50.000 and 100.000 years ago in the Levant region, contain geometric engravings that are not accidental, but rather intentional.
The Levant region and its first inhabitants
The Levant, a region that spans a modern land bridge between Africa and Eurasia, was one of the first stops our ancestors made during their migration out of Africa.
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Millennia ago, this region was essential for the development of early human tools. However, the study of objects found in the area reveals that, beyond functionality, there may be a deeper layer of meaning.
A new perspective on engravings
Under advanced criteria, researchers observed that some of these stone tools, especially those made with the Levallois flaking technique, show evident geometric marks.
Previously, these marks were interpreted as just crop marks or visual patterns. However, Goder-Goldberger's team believes that these engravings are more than just decorations.
These tools, made of flint, have sharp lines and geometric patterns that appear to have been deliberately designed.
For researchers, this indicates a more advanced capacity for planning and symbolic expression.
Engravings are not simple marks of use, as they were previously thought. On the contrary, they are signs of a more complex thought.
Technology and intention in engravings
The study focused on two stone artifacts, one dating back approximately 100.000 years and the other from the Middle Paleolithic.
Both feature geometric patterns on their surfaces, showing that the engravings were made before the tool was finished, not as a simple detail after its use.
The marks are arranged in specific areas of stone, demonstrating a clear intention on the part of the makers.
Furthermore, another work found, a plaque made around 54.000 years ago, also features similar geometric patterns, reinforcing the idea that these engravings were not accidental.
According to Goder-Goldberger, this marking technique reveals the “intention and creativity” of whoever produced it.
Symbology and human behavior
These discoveries shed light on the symbolic capacity of our ancestors. Such patterns can be compared to other symbolic artifacts of the time, such as ornamental shells or paints, which indicate a transition from pure utility to a form of visual expression.
For Mae Goder-Goldberger, abstract and symbolic thinking was the basis of human cognitive evolution. She believes these engravings may be a reflection of this newly developed ability.
Challenging traditional interpretation
Rather than being seen simply as “protoaesthetic,” or marks made simply for visual pleasure, the engravings on these stone tools suggest something deeper: a connection to the earliest forms of symbolic expression.
Archaeologist João Marreiros from Germany also comments that this research offers a new approach to analyzing Middle Paleolithic artifacts, giving archaeology a clearer framework for understanding ancient societies.
The study was published in Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences magazine.
