51,000-year-old deer bones show primitive math. 51,000-year-old deer bones from Harz mountains of Germany contain slash marks Blombos Cave in South Africa has 80,000-year-old stone with hash marks Hohle Fels cave in Germany has 40,000-year-old tally sticks
51,000-year-old engraved giant deer phalanx discovered in Germany's Harz Mountains at Einhornhöhle cave contains deliberate slash marks, suggesting early symbolic behavior in Neanderthals. Researchers found the bone in 2019 and announced the discovery in 2021.
Key Facts
- 51,000-year-old deer bones from Harz mountains of Germany contain slash marks
- Blombos Cave in South Africa has 80,000-year-old stone with hash marks
- Hohle Fels cave in Germany has 40,000-year-old tally sticks
- These artifacts likely represent primitive counting systems for portions and trade
- Bones may have been used as trading tokens between tribes
- Archaeologists incorrectly label these as art rather than mathematics
Related site: Blombos Cave — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Pyramids: Mysteries or Misunderstood? | Exploring Ancient Enigmas with Eric Graziano by Institute for Natural Philosophy