More than a fingerprint on a pebble: A pigment-marked object from San Lázaro rock-shelter in the context of Neanderthal symbolic behavior

Abstract

The pebble discovered in the San Lázaro rock-shelter (Segovia, Central Spain) is the oldest known non-utilitarian object with a fingerprint made in Europe. Its morphology and the strategic position of an ocher dot, where a dermatoglyphic image has been detected, may be evidence of symbolic behavior. This object contributes to our understanding of Neanderthals’ capacity for abstraction, suggesting that it could represent one of the earliest human facial symbolizations in Prehistory. All the analyses carried out suggest an intentional effort to transport and paint the pebble for non-utilitarian purposes, suggesting that it is indeed the work of Neanderthals. The discovery is doubly exceptional because it includes the most complete dermatoglyphic image identified to date, with the exception of the partial fingerprint from Königsaue, both with a comparable minimum age. This dermatoglyphic image is not visible and it was revealed after a multispectral analysis. This method adds significant value to the identification that has been carried out of the human fingerprint, as it is the first time that such an analysis has been conducted with evidence as ancient as this, opening the door to future research and discoveries.