Ancient people knew how to make jewelry 130,000 years ago

Neanderthals in Europe were known to use eagle talons as jewelry 130,000 years ago.

Eight eagle talons excavated in Krapina, Croatia. Photo: Luka Mjeda, Zagreb

Scientists from the University of Kansas, USA, discovered 8 white-tailed eagle talons, 4 of which had V-shaped notches and multiple cuts. The search location was a Neanderthal cave in Krapina, Croatia. They said these talons were once attached to each other, forming necklaces or bracelets.

"The discovery is really amazing. It fits with the fact that Neanderthals had more modern elements in their behavior," Live Science quoted David Frayer, the study's author, as saying.

The surface of the talon appears quite smooth, perhaps due to being covered in some sort of fiber, or rubbing against the surface of another talon. According to Frayer, eagle talons are not easy to find.

At the archaeological site, the team also found more than 900 Neanderthal bones, dating back 120,000 to 130,000 years. They discovered many stone tools, fireplaces, rhinoceros bones, bear bones, and no signs of modern Homo sapiens habitation.

According to VnExpress