The RINO undertaking arose from the invention of abnormal rhinoceros enamel marks discovered on the prehistoric web site of Paire in France’s Rhône Valley. The learn about of fossil rhinoceros enamel from this Center Paleolithic web site, which dates to about 250,000–130,000 years in the past, supplies unheard of proof that Neanderthals used them as gear.
In contrast to the enduring mammoth, the function of the rhinoceros within the subsistence methods of prehistoric human teams and the relationships they maintained with those animals all through the Paleolithic stays poorly understood. They served now not best as a supply of meals, but in addition for different functions, together with their creative depiction in caves, such because the well-known artwork within the Chauvet cave within the Ardeche greater than 30,000 years in the past.
The invention of abnormal rhinoceros enamel marks from a number of Paleolithic websites in southern France has raised an intriguing query: may just those marks be the results of planned human process?
Using bones from huge herbivores (together with the rhinoceros) for retouching and polishing stone gear is definitely documented in Europe from the earliest levels of the Paleolithic length. Rhinoceros enamel also are commonplace options of Paleolithic websites all through Europe and Asia, however just a few research counsel that they’ll were intentionally amassed and utilized by prehistoric human teams.
Odd fractures and marks
Greater than 200,000 years in the past, at websites equivalent to Paire in southeastern France and Panqian Dadong in China, archaeologists discovered loads of rhinoceros enamel, a few of which confirmed repetitive fractures and unique floor marks. Those observations brought about researchers to research whether or not the enamel had been used as gear and to inspect different rhinoceros-rich assemblages from the similar length throughout Europe.
May just this constitute a prior to now unknown Neanderthal conduct?
This query turned into the place to begin for the RINO undertaking and a contemporary learn about revealed within the Magazine of Human Evolution, entitled “Elucidating the use of rhinoceros teeth by Neanderthals: between experiments and the fossil record.” The analysis is the results of global medical cooperation.
That is the primary in-depth, interdisciplinary investigation into the prospective use of rhinoceros enamel by means of Neanderthals. The learn about combines research of fossil stays with archaeological experiments on trendy rhinoceros enamel, offering a singular alternative to check strains bought experimentally with the ones preserved within the archaeological report.
Map of Center Paleolithic archaeological websites and paleontological websites offering rhinoceros stays for the RINO undertaking. Map created with KGIS 3.40.6, fundamental knowledge from ESRI (Environmental Programs Analysis Institute). D’apres Sanz-Roio et coll., 2026, Fourni par l’auteur
Rhinoceros enamel possess a number of morphological traits, together with their measurement, weight, ease of dealing with, flat occlusal floor, and resistance to fracture, which will have made them in particular appropriate for technical use.
Analysis manner
Throughout the RINO undertaking, 12 archaeological websites had been decided on in response to proof of human process and the abundance of rhinoceros enamel of their faunal assemblages.
To ascertain a comparative framework in a position to distinguishing herbal adjustments from probably human adjustments, we additionally incorporated dental stays from paleontological websites in Western Europe and an osteological choice of trendy rhinoceroses. In overall, the learn about tested 168 rhinoceros enamel from 4 Pleistocene paleontological websites: Wasserbillig (Luxembourg), Oetrange (Luxembourg), Cova del Rinoceront (Spain) and Les Plumettes (Saone-et-Loire, France).
As well as, 236 enamel from the comparative assortment housed within the Gallery of Comparative Anatomy of the Nationwide Museum of Herbal Historical past (MNHN) in Paris had been analyzed.
Dental microwear analyzes had been additionally carried out on fossil rhinoceros enamel to resolve whether or not the marks seen may have been the results of chewing and feeding actions fairly than human intervention. This allowed us to spot adjustments that can have affected rhinoceros enamel all through the animal’s lifetime.
Experimental archaeology
The principle element of the undertaking used to be dedicated to experimental archaeology. The usage of rhinoceros molars and premolars as affect gear in managed experiments carried out by means of skilled archaeologists, the analysis workforce aimed to construct a complete reference choice of experimentally produced tracks and to spot the prospective purposes and “friendliness of use” of those gear.
Some of the largest demanding situations used to be getting trendy rhinoceros enamel for the experiments. After an intensive seek and the assistance of Alexis Lecu (veterinarian on the Nationwide Museum of Herbal Historical past), 3 zoological parks agreed to give you the enamel: Zoo Peaugres (Ardeche), African Reserve Sigean (Aude) and Zoo Montpellier (Herault). The enamel extraction used to be carried out by means of Benjamin Drouet in Peaugres and Antoine Joris in Sigean.
The experiments had been carried out on 18 enamel of a contemporary rhinoceros. They had been utilized in affect actions, together with retouching stone gear, knurling, and the usage of quartz and flint anvils. The function used to be to record strains of human process and examine them with the ones seen within the archaeological report. As well as, the set of experiments aimed to recreate herbal processes equivalent to abrasion and sediment compaction that enamel might revel in all through fossilization.
Examples of experimental actions proven within the learn about: A) Retouching quartz B) Tapping flint C) The usage of a enamel as an anvil for a work of quartz. Courtesy of Sanz-Roio & coll., 2026, Fourni par l’auteur
Rhino enamel adjustments all through archaeological experiments, with 3D reproductions the usage of a confocal microscope. Courtesy of Sanz-Roio & coll., 2026, Fourni par l’auteur
The consequences printed that the markings known at Paire, in addition to the ones seen at two different Neanderthal websites: El Castillo (Spain) and Pech-de-l’Aze II (France), had been very similar to the ones produced all through archaeological experiments.
Additionally, microwear research showed that those tracks had been shaped after the animals died, as no feeding indicators had been discovered within the tracks. Against this, those marks are obviously distinct from the outside adjustments documented in paleontological and trendy reference collections, in addition to the ones produced by means of experimental abrasion and compaction assessments.
Those experiments had been performed on the Laboratory of Taphonomy in Madrid (LeaT laboratory). Courtesy of Sanz-Roio & coll., 2026, Fourni par l’auteur
On the Center Palaeolithic websites of El Castillo and Pech-de-l’Aze II, we analyzed a complete of 281 enamel belonging to the steppe rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus hemitoechus) and Merk’s rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis). The latter represents the most important identified fossil species of rhinoceros in Europe for this era.
The enamel had been most probably used as percussion tools
Subsequently, we will be able to conclude that the strains known at the enamel of the rhinoceros from those two Center Paleolithic websites – El Castillo (Spain) and Pech-de-l’Aze II (France) – are of human beginning. Those enamel had been most probably utilized by Neanderthals as affect gear within the manufacturing of lithic gear (flint and quartz), enjoying a task within the chain operatoire all through the Center Paleolithic.
In line with the level of wear and tear seen at the enamel, apparently that Neanderthals most well-liked the enamel of older rhinos. It’s conceivable that they fascinated by older animals as a result of they could also be more straightforward prey or scavenging alternatives. The flatter dental surfaces in their enamel may additionally have made them extra appropriate to be used as gear.
A drawing illustrating the damage seen on enamel no. 2754 and no. 8557, courtesy of El Castillo (illustrations by means of Sophie Guegan). Courtesy of Sanz-Roio & coll., 2026, Fourni par l’auteur
This learn about expands our figuring out of Neanderthal conduct, their technical possible choices, and the number of uncooked fabrics they amassed and used, and in addition supplies new perception into their exploitation of animal assets. Regardless of this important advance in wisdom, the invention additionally raises numerous new questions that stay unsolved for now:
What does this discovery upload to our figuring out of Neanderthals and their dating with the surroundings?
What had been the methods for acquisition (looking, cleansing, taking pictures) and exploitation of rhinoceros by means of Neanderthals?
Have been they the similar for all species of rhinoceros encountered all through those classes in Europe? Did their morphological, behavioral and ecological traits, in addition to their availability in numerous habitats, affect those behaviors?
Those unheard of effects underscore the significance of this analysis, which, as famous above, raises many additional questions that stay to be explored.
It lately stays unclear whether or not this used to be a common conduct or used to be particular to Neanderthal teams in Western Europe. We imagine it not going that the usage of rhinoceros enamel as a uncooked subject material used to be a temporally and spatially limited conduct. This discovery opens up new views at the scope, serve as and conceivable symbolic measurement of this custom. Because of this, a big re-assessment of rhinoceros enamel stays from quite a lot of Paleolithic websites must be undertaken in gentle of those new observations.
Acknowledgments: We thank the RINO undertaking (Sorbonne College and Nationwide Herbal Historical past Museum) and IRN TaphEN (CNRS) for his or her monetary give a boost to. We might additionally love to thank everybody who supplied get admission to to the archaeological and paleontological collections, in addition to the laboratories that hosted us. In the end, we sincerely thank the zoos of Peaugre, Sigean and Montpellier (France) for offering the rhinoceros enamel used within the experiments, with particular because of Alexis Letz, a veterinarian on the MNHN, for his treasured help on this analysis.
