Tumblr User Shares A Story How Craftsmen Helped Scientists Identify A Tool Created 50,000 Years Ago And Still Used Today
If you paid any attention in history class, then you’ve definitely heard about a species called the Neanderthals. They lived in Eurasia about 40.000 years ago and despite being extinct for a long time, it turns out there is a certain tool that they left us as a heritage gift. One Tumblr user decided to share his discovery after learning about a tool called a lissoir, which is still used by leather-workers to this day.
Turns out, it was actually a leather-worker himself who helped the scientists to understand what this weird tool made out of bones was. After reading this post, other users started sharing examples of craftsmen helping scientists to answer historical questions. One of those examples revolves around Rembrandt, and a weird deformation around his ears, which was later discovered by a retired ear surgeon to be a result of a failed attempt at piercing the ear.
Scroll down to read more about this incredible tool and to learn why nobody yet has managed to improve on it. (Facebook cover image: Tim Evanson)
More info: MPG
If you paid any attention in history class, you’ve definitely heard about the species called Neanderthals who lived in Eurasia almost 40,000 years ago
Image credits: Tim Evanson
Well, as it turns out, there is one of their tools that craftsmen still use to this day
Image credits: Abri Peyrony & Pech-de-l’Azé I Projects
Image credits: Rembrandt, self-portrait of 1628. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Many people were pleasantly surprised by this discovery
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Sometimes simple ancient tech is the best. Hell its been thousands of years and we have yet to improve upon the wheel as shape to move things around.
Obsidian and quartz flint have been a preferred cutting edgee from 40,000 years when compared to modern stainless steel. The edges are 300 times thinner and sharper. Both were used as weapon ends, and now for surgery
It also goes to show, that there are probably plenty more objects that have been completely misidentified by archeologists. When people don't know, naturally, they make their best guess. I'd imagine a lot of the items that have been categorized as 'ritual use' are anything but. 'We have no idea what this is or what it does, so we're going to say it was for ritual use.'
Oh yes. I've always thought the same. Aproximatly 90% of the stuff the find are for ritual use: those guys had to be praying all day...!!
Load More Replies... Sometimes simple ancient tech is the best. Hell its been thousands of years and we have yet to improve upon the wheel as shape to move things around.
Obsidian and quartz flint have been a preferred cutting edgee from 40,000 years when compared to modern stainless steel. The edges are 300 times thinner and sharper. Both were used as weapon ends, and now for surgery
It also goes to show, that there are probably plenty more objects that have been completely misidentified by archeologists. When people don't know, naturally, they make their best guess. I'd imagine a lot of the items that have been categorized as 'ritual use' are anything but. 'We have no idea what this is or what it does, so we're going to say it was for ritual use.'
Oh yes. I've always thought the same. Aproximatly 90% of the stuff the find are for ritual use: those guys had to be praying all day...!!
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