New discovery: Oldest human fingerprint belongs to a Neanderthal who lived in Spain 42,000 years ago

Archaeologists in Spain have uncovered what is believed to be the world’s oldest known human fingerprint — left by a Neanderthal more than 42,000 years ago.

Print made by a Neanderthal 42,000 years ago

The print was discovered in red ochre pigment on a granite stone at the Abrigo de San Lázaro site near Segovia. Scientific dating confirmed that the fingerprint is over 42,000 years old and was left by an adult male Neanderthal.

Stone may depict a human face

The granite stone appears to have been chosen for its naturally face-like features. Researchers believe a red ochre dot was deliberately applied where a nose would be, reinforcing the perception of a human face through a phenomenon known as pareidolia.

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Rare evidence of Neanderthal symbolic expression

This symbolic act, confirmed by multidisciplinary analysis, adds to the growing evidence that Neanderthals engaged in abstract thinking, artistic expression, and the use of visual symbols. The fingerprint was revealed using multispectral imaging and verified by Spain’s forensic police experts.

Segovia site sheds light on last Neanderthals

The find adds to a series of discoveries from the Abrigo de San Lázaro site — long associated with Mousterian tools and Neanderthal activity — that are helping researchers better understand the symbolic and cognitive lives of Europe’s last Neanderthals.

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