Although it doesn’t necessarily make sense from an evolutionary perspective, humans love collecting things. From stamps to comic books to rare coins, if society places emotional or financial value on items, people are likely to collect them. Although collecting trinkets may be physically unsustainable, the act demonstrates a level of cognitive ability and abstract thinking. But when did we start collecting things just for fun?Judging by artifacts discovered in caves on Spain’s Iberian Peninsula, the act of collecting may date back at least to our Neanderthal ancestors. There is.
In a study published Nov. 12 in the journal Quaternary periodan archaeological team led by researchers from the University of Burgos analyzed 15 small marine fossils discovered in the fourth layer of the Prado Vargas cave system in Burgos, Spain. One artifact showed physical evidence of its use as a hammer, but the other 14 fossils showed no obvious physical wear or practical value. Additional evidence within the cave indicates that the site served as a semi-permanent Neanderthal encampment, possibly used for tool-making, hunting, or perhaps ritual activities.
The shellfish fossils, on average less than 2 inches wide, date from the late Cretaceous period, about 39,800 to 54,600 years ago, and include fossils of early snails, saltwater clams, and other species. However, as the researchers point out, none of these are native to the immediate area of the cave. Instead, the researchers estimate that many of the fossils’ closest original locations were in geological formations more than 30.5 miles away.
Previous research It shows Neanderthals engaged in cultural rituals such as ornament making, cave painting, and even family and social funerals. For this reason, experts say it stands to reason that our ancestors likely engaged in pastimes such as collecting items they found interesting or special.
“This indicates that Neanderthals had similar psychological and behavioral characteristics to our species, and foraging is a common and complex activity,” the authors write.
The researchers believe that given that humans collect fossils for a wide range of reasons, both tangible and intangible, Neanderthals were motivated by “competition, cooperation, symbolism, egoism, selflessness, a sense of continuity, marketing, or “Addiction.” But it’s likely for the same reason that Neanderthal descendants love collectibles to this day.
“Perhaps…the people who collected them derived pleasure from the act of searching for them, or finding and storing them,” the researchers theorize. “Or it may have been an object for play, or it may have had a magical or religious role…”
