论文标题：Direct evidence of Neanderthal fibre technology and its cognitive and behavioral implications

期刊：Scientific Reports

作者：B. L. Hardy, M.-H. Moncel et.al

发表时间：2020/04/09

数字识别码： 10.1038/s41598-020-61839-w

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本周《科学报告》发表的一篇论文Direct evidence of Neanderthal fbre technology and its cognitive and behavioral implications报道发现了已知最古老的关于纤维技术——使用天然纤维制纱——的直接证据。这一发现增进了我们对于旧石器时代中期（3万-30万年前）尼安德特人的认知能力的理解。

图1：Abri du Maras挖掘现场。

版权归属M-H. Moncel

美国俄亥俄州凯尼恩学院的Bruce Hardy及同事发现了一段6毫米长的细绳——由三股纤维拧成，附在一个60毫米长的薄石器上。作者推测这段细绳可能是裹在石器上作为提手用，或者是装石器的网或袋子的一部分。这段绳子发现于法国Abri du Maras遗址，测年数据显示其年份在4.1万-5.2万年前。作者利用光谱和显微技术，发现绳子的组成纤维可能来自不开花的树（如针叶树）的内树皮。

图2：现代的草制绳，合股绞在一起的纤维是绳、网、织物的基础。

版权归属B. Hardy

图3：图源：现代亚麻绳的绞线结构特写。

版权归属S. Deryck

图4：Abri du Maras出土的细绳的电子显微照片。

版权归属M-H. Moncel

作者认为要制作这种细绳，需要对所用的树的生长和季节性有广泛了解；另外推测尼安德特人可能还需要掌握一定的数学概念，具备基本的计算能力，才能制造纤维束（即纱）、三股细绳和多股细绳组成的粗绳。

在此之前，人们发现的最古老的纤维片段来自以色列的Ohalo II遗址，距今约1.9万年。最新发现表明纤维技术的历史比这更悠久，而且尼安德特人的认知能力可能比之前预想的更接近现代人类。

摘要：Neanderthals are often considered as less technologically advanced than modern humans. However, we typically only find faunal remains or stone tools at Paleolithic sites. Perishable materials, comprising the vast majority of material culture items, are typically missing. Individual twisted fibres on stone tools from the Abri du Maras led to the hypothesis of Neanderthal string production in the past, but conclusive evidence was lacking. Here we show direct evidence of fibre technology in the form of a 3-ply cord fragment made from inner bark fibres on a stone tool recovered in situ from the same site. Twisted fibres provide the basis for clothing, rope, bags, nets, mats, boats, etc. which, once discovered, would have become an indispensable part of daily life. Understanding and use of twisted fibres implies the use of complex multi-component technology as well as a mathematical understanding of pairs, sets, and numbers. Added to recent evidence of birch bark tar, art, and shell beads, the idea that Neanderthals were cognitively inferior to modern humans is becoming increasingly untenable.

（来源：科学网）