Neanderthals seem to have used birch tar to heal wounds
Fuente: earth.com Published by Andrei Ionescu (Earth.com staff writer) in earth.com on 20 March 2026 Birch tar has long appeared at Neanderthal sites as a black, sticky residue – usually explained as a kind of prehistoric glue used to hold tools together. However, that simple picture may be missing something important. A new study from the University of Cologne and the University of Oxford suggests the same substance that helped Neanderthals build their tools may also have helped them treat wounds . When researchers recreated birch tar using ancient methods, they found it could slow the growth of bacteria linked to infection . The findings don’t prove Neanderthals practiced medicine . But they add to a growing body of evidence that these early humans were more than skilled hunters – they may also have been practical caregivers , using the materials around them to manage injury and disease. Read more