As Neanderthals made their way across the Italian Alps, they rested in high-altitude caves. New research suggests they also carried a mobile toolkit during their mountain travels.
Caverna Generosa, a 1,450m-high cavern in the Lombard Prealps of northern Italy, is commonly known as the bear cave. Over the last few decades, researchers have found hundreds of bear skeletons inside it, built up over thousands of years. Alongside them lay 16 stone tools.
This modest selection of stone tools tells us a great deal about the ancient humans who visited the cave. First, it seems that these tools were not made in the cave itself. There is a complete absence of flakes, chips, and debris you’d expect if that’s where the tool was manufactured. Instead, chemical analysis shows that they are made of high-quality flint and radiolarite from an area a few kilometers away and lower down.
In addition to the lack of flakes and chips, microscopic analysis suggests the tool owners resharpened the edges several times. The retouch marks and signs of reuse support the idea that these were portable, reusable toolkits — a kind of Swiss army knife for Neanderthal travelers.
Archaeologists believe the Caverna Generosa was a place where Neanderthals paused on their way through the mountains. The low number of tools and their altered condition suggest this wasn’t a long-term home but a respite for seasonal hunters and other travelers.
