Neanderthals Used Rhino Teeth as Tools

When I was in college, Neanderthals were considered to be primitive brutes and not quite fully human. But that picture has slowly changed, at least for many scientists (the public still views Neanderthals as apelike, due to decades of evolutionary storytelling). We now know Neanderthals buried their dead with rituals, wore makeup and jewelry, practiced dental hygiene, and even used a rudimentary knowledge of chemistry to make glue.

And now there’s another finding to add to the list—Neanderthals selectively chose certain rhino teeth to use as tools.

According to a new study,

Marks in fossil rhino teeth found in caves in France and Spain suggest they were once used as multipurpose, heavy-duty tools. A new study reveals that these ancient hominids used the massive molars for shaping stone tools and processing all sorts of materials, such as vegetable fibers or hides. . . .

Despite the significant weight and bulk of the rhino molars, up to 380 grams in some cases, the experimenters found them surprisingly effective. Larger teeth with flatter surfaces were the most comfortable to use, the researchers report, providing a stable and durable platform for precision tasks. Based on the type of tooth that bore the marks, the researchers think that Neandertals were selective, choosing teeth with the right size or shape for the job at hand.

One researcher, not involved with the study, notes,

This study shows that [Neandertals] not only ate the animals, but they utilized their remains for their technology. . . . It’s a trait of modernity.

It’s just more evidence that Neanderthals were human beings just like us.

In other words, it’s just more evidence that Neanderthals were human beings just like us.

These people were not apelike or primitive. They were descendants of Adam, just like you and me, living in a harsh world after the global flood. The minor physical differences between us and them represent just some of the diversity within the human genome that has since been lost.

Yes, study after study just confirms what we’d expect starting with God’s Word: Neanderthals were fully human.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.