Overview
- A Science Advances study has cataloged 597 travertine-preserved wooden impressions from Abric Romaní in Catalonia and identified 13 objects the team says were deliberately shaped, including two spears and an unusual carved club.
- Travertine—calcium carbonate deposited by spring water—encased wood and left hollow molds as the organic material decayed, sometimes preserving surface detail down to wood cells and tool marks.
- The wooden impressions come from 16 archaeological levels dated to roughly 62,000–40,000 years ago and occur in living-area contexts with hearths, bones and stone tools, which the authors interpret as evidence that woodworking was a repeated, routine activity.
- Researchers used careful consolidation in the field, 3D scanning and photogrammetry to digitally record the fragile hollows and produce 3D-printed positive casts for analysis and museum display without destroying the originals.
- The assemblage broadens the picture of Neanderthal technology beyond stone tools by showing diverse wooden implements for cooking, shelter and subsistence, though the exact functions of some pieces—notably the club—remain uncertain and will need further study.