THE NEANDERTAL “HASHTAG” IN GORHAM’S CAVE REVISITED:

Neandertal "hashtag" in Gorham's Cave, Gibraltar. Internet photograph, public domain.

On September 17, 2014, I posted a column here on RockArtBlog titled “Rock Art in Gibraltar Cave Attributed to Neandertal Occupation” about an engraved design in Gorham’s Cave at Gibraltar. It is a pattern of crossed lines that is like today’s “hashtag” (which dates to 2007 – look it up) but has been attributed to Neandertal inhabitants of southern Iberia some 39,000 years ago, so somebody got there first. Back in 2014 I found this to be very exciting (I still do) but now people are beginning to extend the proposed meaning of the symbol, some to a point that I feel goes just a little too far.

Diagram of the Neandertal "hashtag" in Gorham's Cave, Gibraltar. Illustration from Fowler, 2021.

A 2021 paper by Tom Fowler of Ball State University makes some fairly extraordinary claims about the Neandertal engraving. According to Fowler it represents a Neandertal attempt to “map the north/south axis features of the terrain at Gibraltar during the Middle Paleolithic.” (Fowler 2021:4)

“Could these be the boundaries of a clan’s ancient territory? Or directions to and from shelters? Or both? Ultimately all we can do is compare the rock engravings to what we know about the Middle Paleolithic landscape at Gibraltar and let the similarities speak for themselves. Before we do, we need to make sure the etching is correctly aligned with the landscape. Inside the cave, the individual sat with their back to the fire, facing south, putting east over their left shoulder. If our assumptions are thus far correct, the starting point for line 1 was meant to be a representation of ‘here’ and the eastern paths leading to the pinnacles, while line 2 was intended to be ‘here’ and the route to the lone pinnacle to the north. If that’s the case, the illustration needs to be flipped horizontally before being compared to the landscape.” (Fowler 2021:4)

Map of Gibraltar peninsula and surrounding seabed. Illustration from The Gibraltar Museum, 2015, "Gibraltar Neanderthal Caves and Environments, World Heritage Site Nomination," Fig. 2.16, p. 32.

“When the etching is flipped and compared to the undersea terrain map, the previously noted similarity between the north/south axis landscape features and lines 3 through 8 can still be seen, while a rough correlation between line 2 and a path from the northern tip of the Rock of Gibraltar to the lone sandstone spire two kilometers to the east is apparent. A similar correlation can be seen between line 1 and a path from the southern end of Gibraltar/Gorham’s cave to the grouping of the three sandstone spires. The paths created by the trident shape at the end of line 1 diverge from a common, unknown point and trace routes to the location of each of the spires. Based on this, it seem at least plausible to assume the Neanderthal’s intent was to recreate both the environmental features found on the coastal plain with paths to and from major landmarks, becoming, perhaps, the world’s oldest topographic map.” (Fowler 2021:4-6)

I find this interpretation a little hard to accept. First of all, the Neandertals lived there, they did not need to create a permanent map of an area that they knew as well as the proverbial back of their hand. Second, we have to flip it to read it correctly, why did they just not orient it properly in the first place? While, as I said, I find this somewhat of a stretch, I can admit that it is barely possible. I do not find it likely, but it must be accepted as a possibility. But Fowler’s next analysis goes totally over the edge for me. The Gorham’s Cave hashtag engraving is also a picture of a bird, the hoopoe.

Eurasian Hoopoe in flight. Photograph Andres-Campillo Castejon.

From Fowler, 2021, The Neanderthal “Hashtag” Engraving in Gorham’s Cave: A Possible Map of Gibraltar’s Upper Paleolithic Coastal Plain, Academia Letters, Article 3771, Figure 19, page 9.

“While that could explain the engraving of the first eight lines, the final six lines have no correlation with any known physical features detectable on the submerged plain. The manner in which they were created – each with a single stroke, suggesting rapid succession – after taking as many as 300 strokes to create the eight lines in the main engraving seems to suggest these lines had a special significance. If such pains were taken to describe ‘here’ what could these eight quick strokes signify or symbolize? Sue Davies, Head of Cultural Heritage at the Gibraltar Museum, has been quoted as remarking the entire engraving resembled a ‘stylized hoopoe’ (Upupa epops). One of the reasons for this apparent similarity are single stroke lines 9, 10 and 11, which roughly resemble an abstract hoopoe head. Line 9 serves as the peak of the upper crest and distinctive beak, while lines 10 and 11 represent the middle and front of the crest. Lines 12 and 13 would appear to be tail feathers, while the 14^th and final line would have symbolized the body. When lines 9 through 14 are placed over lines 1 through 8, the similarity to the hoopoe can be clearly seen. When line 2 is removed and only the ‘body’ (line 1, where all the single stokes were applied) remains, the resemblance to the bird is striking. If the Neanderthal engraving was intended to resemble a bird, it would come as no surprise. The relationship between Neanderthals and birds, particularly at Gibraltar, is well documented. Not only is there evidence from Gorham’s cave they utilized both rock doves (pigeons) and the red billed clough(sp) as major food sources, there is confirmation they sought out birds such as black raptors and corvids solely for the purpose of obtaining their feathers.” (Fowler 2021:6-7)

I just do not know what to say about this. It is, for me, a flight of fancy too far. So, the map – unlikely, but barely possible, the hoopoe – not likely, and I will leave it at that.

NOTE: Some images in this posting were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize, and will happily provide the picture credits if the owner will contact me with them. For further information on these reports you should read the original reports at the sites listed below.

REFERENCES:

Faris, Peter, 2014, Rock Art in Gibraltar Cave Attributed to Neandertal Occupation, 27 September 2014, https://rockartblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Gibraltar

Fowler, T., 2021, The Neanderthal “Hashtag” Engraving in Gorham’s Cave: A Possible Map of Gibraltar’s Upper Paleolithic Coastal Plain, Academia Letters, Article 3771, https://doi.org/10.20935/AL3771.

Rodriguez-Vidal, Joaquin et al., 2014, A rock engraving made by Neanderthals in Gibraltar, www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1411529111

The Gibraltar Museum, 2015, Gibraltar Neanderthal Caves and Environments, World Heritage Site Nomination, HM Government of Gibraltar.