Symbolic Behavior
Neanderthal crayons in Crimea suggest ancient symbolic art
Archaeologists have uncovered ochre artefacts in Crimea that show Neanderthals shaped and used them as crayons for drawing over 40,000 years ago. This discovery provides the strongest evidence yet of Neanderthals employing pigments symbolically, challenging previous assumptions about early human creativity. The findings highlight a shared evolutionary capacity for symbolic behavior dating back more than 700,000 years.