Neanderthals in Europe created stone tools using a sophisticated multi-component adhesive composed of ochre and bitumen.

The discovery by an international team from New York University, the University of Tübingen, and the National Museums in Berlin refutes the notion that Neanderthals were primitive, demonstrating a higher level of intellectual and cultural sophistication.

Artifacts from the French archaeological site Le Moustier, dating back 40,000 to 60,000 years, show the earliest evidence of adhesive technology in Europe, implying cognitive abilities in Neanderthals comparable to early Homo sapiens.

The research highlights that Neanderthals undertook complex planning and effort to source materials from distant locations for their tool-making processes.

The findings will contribute to the understanding of human evolution and will be featured in the Stone Age exhibition at the New Museum in Berlin.