Perhaps Neanderthals were more advanced than we thought

But despite a growing body of evidence suggesting Neanderthals were involved in much more than basic survival and reproduction—practicing cave art, decorating themselves with feathers and burying their dead, for example—many experts in the field are still hesitant to say that they’ve found a “smoking gun” to prove it, at this or any other site.

“Symbolic behavior is a real quagmire for archeologists. Even if you’re talking biblical archaeology, it’s difficult to find conclusive proof. If we didn’t have records for what a Christian cross was, someone could argue that it was some kind of utilitarian tool,” says Illinois State University paleoanthropologist Fred Smith, who was not involved in this study. “The archeology at this site is sound, and the explanation is perfectly reasonable, but we just can’t say for sure.”