Archaeologists analyzing 597 wooden remains and imprints recovered from the Abric Romaní rock shelter near Barcelona, Spain, have revealed that Neanderthals utilized wood for tools, weapons, and structural living spaces between 62,000 and 42,000 years ago, challenging the stone-dominated archaeological record.
Excavating the Wooden Record at Abric Romaní
For decades, the historical timeline of ancient human technology suffered from a glaring bias. Stone tools survive extremely well across millennia, but organic materials like wood decompose rapidly. Because of this preservation imbalance, stone artifacts have historically dominated archaeological collections, creating a false impression that Paleolithic life was restricted entirely to lithic technology.
That perspective is shifting following a study published in Science Advances. Palmira Saladié of the Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES-CERCA) is the study’s first author. Researchers completed a comprehensive analysis of 597 wooden remains and imprints recovered from Abric Romaní, a site located 50 kilometers west of Barcelona. Gizmodo reported that the collection spans a chronological window from roughly 62,000 to 42,000 years ago.
The collection includes 13 objects resembling spears, pointed items, bark containers, structural elements, and a club-like tool featuring a narrow handle and a larger, bumpy head. UA.News noted that the site covers an area of approximately 300 square meters, where researchers also identified meter-long digging sticks near hearths and refuse pits, alongside the trace of a straight, five-meter log stripped of branches that likely served as part of a windbreak or sleeping structure.
How Fragile Traces Survived Tens of Thousands of Years
The survival of these organic records at Abric Romaní relies on a precise sequence of geological events. The actual wood did not endure the millennia; instead, it completely decomposed, leaving hollow cavities embedded within layers of sediment. In 1995, researchers began filling these voids with resin to cast replicas of the original objects.
Natural processes protected the site during antiquity. Periodic slow flooding covered the organic material, bones, and stone tools, shielding the ground surface from scavenging animals. Over time, minerals dissolved in the water formed durable layers of travertine. Uranium-thorium dating established that human activity at the shelter occurred across 19 distinct sandy layers between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago, while lower, unexcavated deposits suggest human presence dating back 110,000 years.
Working with these perishable traces has historically presented significant conservation challenges. Previous investigations required complex molding and delicate restoration treatments. However, recent advancements in 3D recording technology allowed the research team to rapidly capture and reconstruct samples digitally, enabling this larger-scale analysis.
Rethinking Neanderthal Material Culture
The frequency and variety of the Abric Romaní artifacts indicate that woodworking was an integral component of daily Neanderthal life rather than an occasional pursuit. Co-author Gema Chacón emphasized that researchers observed wood across multiple archaeological levels spanning thousands of years, applied to widely different functions.
This suggests that woodworking was not occasional or exceptional. It was simply part of their technology,
Chacón explained to Gizmodo, adding that the wide assortment of weapons, containers, and structural elements points to an invisible material world that standard excavations miss.
Despite the clarity provided by these casts, methodological caution remains essential. Archaeologist Dirk Leder cautioned UA.News that distinguishing naturally fallen branches from deliberately modified timber requires definitive evidence of cutting or bark removal, ensuring that every identified artifact represents intentional craftsmanship.
Excavations at Abric Romaní remain ongoing as researchers continue exposing new surfaces and sediment layers. Josep Vallverdú summarized the broader implication of the findings for Gizmodo, stating that the Palaeolithic was not a world made only of stone.
