A new study has revealed that Neolithic people were capable of complex engineering.
The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Bordeaux and focused on the construction of a 6,000-year-old monument in France called the Grand Menhir Brisé. The monument is made up of a single standing stone which weighs around 300 tonnes and is over 20 feet tall. The researchers used computer models to simulate the construction of the monument and found that it would have required a sophisticated understanding of engineering principles.
The Grand Menhir Brisé was constructed during the Neolithic period which lasted from around 10,000 BC to 2,000 BC. During this time, humans were transitioning from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a more settled way of life which involved agriculture and the construction of permanent settlements. The construction of large monuments such as the Grand Menhir Brisé is evidence of the technological advancements made during this period.
The researchers found that the construction of the Grand Menhir Brisé would have required a sophisticated understanding of engineering principles such as leverage and torque. The stone was likely transported to its current location using wooden rollers and ropes made from plant fibers. The researchers also found evidence that the stone was shaped using stone tools which were made from flint.
The construction of the Grand Menhir Brisé is evidence that Neolithic people were capable of complex engineering. The monument is one of many large structures that were constructed during this period including Stonehenge in England and the Carnac Stones in France. These structures are evidence of the technological advancements made during this period and provide insight into the lives of our ancestors.
In conclusion, the study conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Bordeaux provides evidence that Neolithic people were capable of complex engineering. The construction of large monuments such as the Grand Menhir Brisé required a sophisticated understanding of engineering principles such as leverage and torque. The construction of these monuments is evidence of the technological advancements made during this period and provides insight into the lives of our ancestors.