Neanderthal Stone Tools Discovered in Poland

RACIBÓRZ, POLAND—Tools crafted by Neanderthals some 130,000 years ago have been uncovered in a sand pit in a river valley in southern Poland’s natural mountain pass known as the Moravian Gate, according to a Science in Poland report. The artifacts have double-sided surfaces and are asymmetrical, and may have been used for butchering hunted animals. “After a long break caused by extremely unfavorable climatic conditions that prevailed in the period approximately 160,000 to 140,000 years ago, this area became attractive for people coming from the south,” explained archaeologist Andrzej Wiśniewski of the University of Wrocław. He noted that raw materials for making stone tools were readily available in the area, adding that the hunter-gatherers were probably following their food sources. To read about a 46,000-year-old Neanderthal tooth recovered from Stajnia Cave, go to "Around the World: Poland."