Neanderthals' Advanced Tar-Making Techniques Revealed in Ancient Hearths

Archaeologists have discovered a 60,000-year-old structure in Vanguard Cave, Gibraltar, indicating that Neanderthals used complex methods to produce plant-based adhesives, challenging their brutish stereotype. The structure, compatible with anoxic heating techniques, suggests advanced cognitive abilities in Neanderthals, as they extracted resin from plants like prickly rockrose. This finding, involving a multidisciplinary team, highlights Neanderthals' technological and organizational skills, further supported by evidence of their use of medicinal plants, art, and tool-making.