An expedient bone tool used for flaying carcasses by Neanderthal at the Abri du Maras (France)

Bone tool use is a hallmark of hominin behavioral evolution, yet its significance in Pleistocene contexts remains underexplored. We present a multi-method analysis of a bone fragment from Abri du Maras (Marine Isotope Stage 5, France), integrating qualitative use-wear assessment with quantitative 3D surface texture analysis via confocal microscopy and linear discriminant modeling. Results indicate that smoothing on the tool’s tip resulted from repeated contact with soft tissues, consistent with carcass flaying. This function diverges from the commonly proposed interpretation of such tools being used for hide processing and aligns with ethnographic analogs. Its presence at a seasonal Neanderthal campsite suggests strategic technological planning in subsistence practices. Our findings demonstrate the diagnostic value of quantitative use-wear analysis and call for re-evaluation of osseous tools, offering refined insights into Neanderthal cognition and cultural complexity.