Researchers discovered a handprint-sized depression in clay near an unusual stalagmite circle in Bruniquel cave in southwestern France, suggesting a Neanderthal may have left the mark roughly 175,000 years ago. The depression matches the size and shape of a kneeling human, potentially linking a Neanderthal to the construction of the mysterious stalagmite arrangement.
The stalagmite circle itself consists of 352 stalagmite fragments arranged in a roughly 7-meter-wide structure about 330 meters underground. Radiocarbon dating previously indicated construction between 176,500 and 174,000 years ago, placing it squarely in the Neanderthal period before modern humans arrived in Europe. The original discovery, published in Nature in 2021, prompted intense debate about whether Neanderthals possessed the cognitive ability to plan and execute such complex underground construction.
The newly identified knee impression strengthens the case that Neanderthals built the structure. The depression's location beside the stalagmite circle offers direct physical evidence of a builder's body position during the arrangement process. Researchers studying the imprint measured its dimensions and analyzed the surrounding soil to confirm its human origin and approximate age.
The discovery remains controversial among archaeologists. Some argue the stalagmite circle may reflect natural formation rather than intentional design, while others maintain it demonstrates Neanderthal symbolic or practical thinking. The knee impression cannot definitively prove intentional construction, as Neanderthals could have simply knelt while moving through the cave space.
The find adds to growing evidence that Neanderthals engaged in behaviors previously thought unique to modern humans, including possible artistic expression and tool innovation. However, the cave context makes interpretation challenging. Underground sites preserve impressions well but lack the contextual clarity of occupation layers found in open-air sites.