Detected mysterious underground ring built Neanderthals – BBC News

In France, deep, deep inside the cave, which penetrates not even a ray of light, there are two very interesting design: a large ring of stalagmites. However, some of them broken and arranged like rungs old-fashioned wooden fence.

The unusual discovery was made in a cave Bryunikel (Bruniquel) in the southwest of France in the 1990s, and then, scientists did not know who or that the author of this work. Now the researchers are confident in the answer. Rings were built Neanderthals, who have learned to carefully explore the caves and use this element in complex buildings more than 175 thousand years ago

The discovery, according to scientists, is another proof that the scientific world has underestimated the ability of Neanderthals. The structures were made of hundreds of stalagmites -. Natёchnyh mineral formations growing in the form of cones from the bottom of caves

As the researchers note, stalagmites have been broken out about 175 thousand years ago. They were broken down into approximately equal length pieces and laid out two ovals. construction height reaches 40 centimeters.

the presence of these unusual structures in the 336 meters from the entrance to the cave indicates that the people of that period had already mastered the underground space. This can be considered a great step of man on the way to the present, the authors of note.

According to one of the authors of the work of Jacques Jaubert (Jacques Jaubert) from the University of Bordeaux, exclude the possibility that these carefully constructed ring designs that store traces of fire could appear randomly or in order that structures could be accidentally collected the animals, say, wolves, whose bones were found near the entrance to the cave.

“These buildings are the result of human activity, be otherwise can not “- he says

the Neanderthals, who built these structures, according to Jaubert, had in mind a plan to go so deep into the caves, where there was simply no natural light.. They probably studied the underground space of the whole group and cooperate with each other in the construction of the rings, using fire to illuminate the cave, scientists believe.

Professor Chris Stringer (Chris Stringer) from London’s Natural History Museum said the discovery “amazing” and He adds that “taking into account the age of the buildings, and it is the mark of 175 thousand years ago, they had to be made by early Neanderthals, the only representatives of the human race, who lived in Europe at this time”.

At the time when these structures were built, surrounding conditions were not the most helpful: it was very cold. And, probably, in the recesses of caves Neanderthals seek refuge from the cold

Stringer said:. “If scientists can detect even some remains of Neanderthals, it will help to determine whether this cave temporary refuge or shelter Or. maybe this place had some kind of symbolic or ritual significance “.

Only the further study of this and other similar sites will disclose to us the mystery of how widely such shelters were distributed and what their goals using people conclude experts .

The study is published in the scientific journal Nature.

We add that “Vesti.Nauka” told about another interesting study that showed that people got from Neanderthals depression and need to smoke.