Oldest known human fingerprint discovered on ancient Neanderthal artwork – with help from Spain’s forensic police

By David Álvarez Alonso, Profesor Titular de Prehistoria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Andrés Díez Herrero, Profesor de Investigación (Dr. Ciencias Geológicas), Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME - CSIC)
María de Andrés-Herrero, Departamento de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y Arqueología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
Miguel Angel Mate Gonzalez, Personal Docente e Investigador - Contratado Ramón y Cajal , Universidad de Salamanca

A unique archaeological find has recently expanded our knowledge of Neanderthals’ capacity for symbolic thought. The object in question is a granite stone, on which a red ochre dot was deliberately applied to reinforce the image of a human face. It is, to date, the oldest example of portable art associated with Neanderthals.

The most remarkable aspect of this discovery was the identification of a fingerprint in the pigment, at a level we have unequivocally dated to more than 42,000 years ago.

The fingerprint means the find is direct evidence of a symbolic action that we…

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