Neanderthals Shaped Stone with Rhinoceros Teeth, Study Finds
A new study in the Journal of Human Evolution reports that Neanderthals used rhinoceros teeth as hammers and anvils to shape stone and process materials. Wear patterns on fossil teeth from sites in Spain and France match experimental results using modern rhino teeth, suggesting deliberate, task-specific tooth selection rather than opportunistic use, and hinting at higher cognitive capabilities in Western Europe’s Middle Paleolithic.