Wooden weapons and tools discovered at a prehistoric site in Spain are revealing a largely overlooked side of Neanderthal technology. The findings come from archaeological layers dating to about 62,000 to 40,000 years ago, showing how Neanderthals used wood for hunting, household tasks, and building.
Researchers examined 597 wooden remains from 16 archaeological layers at Abric Romaní, near Barcelona. Among them were two wooden spears and a possible mace, offering rare evidence of prehistoric woodworking. Dr. Palmira Saladié of IPHES-CERCA and Rovira i Virgili University led the study, published in Science Advances. It draws on more than four decades of excavations at the site.
Ancient wooden spears reveal Neanderthal craftsmanship
Two wooden spears recovered from the site provide evidence of Neanderthal weapon-making. The larger spear measures 2.45 meters, or about 8 feet, and has a shape consistent with a weapon used at close range. The second measures 1.99 meters, or about 6.5 feet, and shows clear signs of deliberate woodworking.
Neanderthals were more skilled than stone tools alone suggest.
A new study of 62,000-year-old remains in Spain reveals wooden spears, a possible mace and household objects, offering a rare glimpse into prehistoric technology. pic.twitter.com/d3RjpUmFKE— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) October 8, 2026
Researchers discovered one spear near deer remains, other wooden objects, and ancient hearths. However, they cannot establish whether it was used to hunt those animals. Another unusual artifact resembles a mace. Carved from a single piece of wood, it has a 16-centimeter handle and a wider, pointed end. Scraping marks indicate intentional shaping, although researchers have not determined its exact purpose.
The discoveries add to growing evidence of Neanderthal toolmaking skills. Earlier excavations in Spain uncovered 40,000-year-old stone tools linked to some of Europe’s last Neanderthals, revealing how these groups obtained materials and adapted to their surroundings.
Wooden tools reveal a broader prehistoric technology
The discoveries extend beyond weapons. Researchers identified 13 objects that Neanderthals made or used, including possible household items and building materials. Four pieces of charred, flattened bark may have served as containers or trays. Some came from juniper trees, whose flexible bark could have been useful for making lightweight objects. The team also uncovered crossed sticks near a hearth, possibly part of a raised structure used for food preparation. Another wooden piece, measuring 5.10 meters, or nearly 17 feet, may have supported a lightweight structure.
The findings also contribute to research on ancient woodworking. In Greece, archaeologists previously identified 430,000-year-old wooden tools at the Marathousa 1 site, providing much earlier evidence of how prehistoric humans used wood alongside stone implements. Researchers also found evidence that Neanderthals gathered and stored firewood, primarily Scots pine.
Rare preservation offers new insight into Neanderthal life
Wood rarely survives for thousands of years. At Abric Romaní, calcium carbonate formed around wooden materials, preserving their shapes as mineral molds after the original wood decayed. This unusual preservation allows archaeologists to study wooden objects alongside stone tools, animal remains, and hearths.
The evidence of firewood management also adds to research on Neanderthal fire use. A separate study in Britain identified evidence that early Neanderthals deliberately made fire about 400,000 years ago, suggesting that fire-making skills developed much earlier than previously established.
The findings suggest Neanderthals relied on wood throughout repeated occupations of the site, revealing technological skills and everyday activities that stone artifacts alone cannot explain.
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