70,000-Year-Old Paleolithic Neanderthal Workshop Found

Archaeologists in Poland have uncovered a remarkable 70,000-year-old Neanderthal workshop in the Zwoleńka River Valley, offering unprecedented insight into the daily lives of these ancient humans. The discovery reveals that Neanderthals not only hunted large animals such as mammoths, rhinos, and horses, but also skillfully maintained and repaired the tools they used for butchering.

The excavation, led by teams from the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw, the Faculty of Archaeology at the University of Warsaw, and the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Wrocław, is revisiting a site first explored in the 1980s. Over several excavation seasons, researchers have unearthed hundreds of flint tools, including knives and scrapers, alongside mammal bones and teeth.

“This is the only Middle Paleolithic site in Poland currently under active research,” said Dr. Witold Grużdź, project leader from the State Archaeological Museum. “Our findings suggest Neanderthals were active in this region between 64,000 and 75,000 years ago.”

A Rare Window into Neanderthal Life
Neanderthal discoveries in Poland are scarce, particularly outside southern regions such as the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland and Lower Silesia. Most of central and northern Poland was covered by ice sheets during the time Neanderthals roamed Europe, making this Mazovian site uniquely significant.

“Neanderthal finds are rare,” said Dr. Katarzyna Pyżewicz from the University of Warsaw. “Every discovery adds immense value to our understanding of their lives. These sites are often buried several meters below the surface, making them challenging to locate.”

More:
https://arkeonews.net/70000-year-old-paleolithic-neanderthal-workshop-found/#google_vignette

By Leman Altuntaş
17 August 2025