Overview
- Published in PLOS One, the study led by Tjaark Siemssen tested birch tar produced via clay‑pit distillation, stone condensation, and an ethnographic tin method.
- Most samples suppressed Staphylococcus aureus linked to wound infections, while none affected Escherichia coli, indicating selective efficacy against gram‑positive bacteria.
- The results align with Indigenous uses of birch tar for wound care by groups such as the Mi'kmaq, Saami, and Yakut, supporting possible medicinal application in prehistory.
- The authors suggest a palaeopharmacology approach could inform modern antimicrobial discovery during a worsening antibiotic‑resistance crisis.
- External experts praise the experimental evidence yet caution that proving deliberate medicinal manufacture by Neanderthals requires further archaeological or biomolecular corroboration.