The traces etched onto mammoth tusks may be rewriting the timeline of human communication, potentially pushing the origins of recording thoughts and feelings back tens of thousands of years. Archaeologists have uncovered patterns suggesting communicative intent in markings that are astonishingly old.
Researchers have identified structured sequences of lines, notches, dots, and crosses on artifacts, including mammoth tusks, found in German caves. These objects are dated as far back as 45,000 years. This discovery challenges the traditional understanding of when writing first emerged. For a long time, historians pinpointed the earliest written words to proto-cuneiform scripts, developed approximately 5,000 years ago in ancient Iraq, a region known as Mesopotamia.
While the precise significance of these ancient German symbols remains elusive, their existence is noteworthy. The artifacts originate from a period just before Homo sapiens migrated into Europe from Africa. This era also saw interactions with Neanderthals.
Previously, the accepted timeline placed the development of writing in Mesopotamia around 3000 BCE. This was followed by the emergence of hieroglyphics in Egypt and later systems in China and Mesoamerica.
“These Stone Age sequences represent an early alternative to writing,” stated Professor Christian Bentz from Saarland University, a co-author of the recent research. It suggests that ancient peoples possessed a cognitive capacity comparable to modern humans, according to Ewa Dutkiewicz of Berlin’s Museum of Prehistory and Early History.
“Thus far, we have only begun to explore the potential for symbol sequences on a wide variety of artifacts,” Dutkiewicz added. The research team meticulously analyzed over 3,000 characters found on 260 distinct objects. They describe their methodology as uncovering the “DNA of writing.”
Among the analyzed items are artifacts recovered from a extensive cave system spanning 37 kilometers in Lonetal, located in Baden-Württemberg, southern Germany. One particular item, a small figurine carved from mammoth tusk, showcased carefully etched rows of crosses and dots. Another artifact, referred to as an “adorant” from the Geißenklösterle cave in the Achtal valley, featured rows of dots and notches on an ivory plaque depicting a hybrid lion-human figure.
The arrangement of these markings, especially the dots on the “adorant’s” back, leads the researchers to believe these patterns served a communicative function.
The researchers hypothesize that people of the Stone Age intentionally carved these symbols to convey messages, meaning, and thoughts. Professor Bentz elaborated, “Our findings also indicate that the hunter-gatherers of the Paleolithic era developed a symbol system exhibiting a statistically comparable information density to the earliest proto-cuneiform tablets from ancient Mesopotamia—a full 40,000 years later.”
A key indicator for deciphering meaning lies in the density of the symbols. The team observed significant repetition and predictability in the sequence of these signs, a characteristic they deem “comparable to much later proto-cuneiform.” Notably, denser patterns were found on figurines when contrasted with tools.
This suggests that the communication of information held considerable importance for Paleolithic communities. Dutkiewicz remarked on their craftsmanship, noting, “They were skilled artisans. It’s evident they transported these objects with them. Many fit comfortably in the hand, perfectly sized to be held in the palm.”
The complete findings of this research have been published in the scientific journal PNAS.