Researchers from PACEA Laboratory found a Neanderthal rock engraving in Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar that was the first of its kind.

The rock engraving dates over 39,000 years old and consists of a deep impression of carvings into rock.

They believe that this engraving on the cave walls was a key stage in the development of human cultures.

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They said that before this innovation was made by modern humans that colonized Europe, around 40,000 years ago.

Previous researchers believe that there was a cognitive difference between the modern humans and Neanderthals and expressed themselves differently.

They found out that the engraving lies beneath an older layer of engraving made by Mousterian tools, which were used by Neanderthals that populated the Iberian Peninsula that time in the sediments covering the engraving.

Mousterian culture was produced by a group of Neanderthals that live during the Middle Paleolithic period 300,000 to 39,000 years ago.

To come up with these findings, researchers undertook a microscopic analysis of engraving that was produced by a 3D reconstruction which demonstrated the origins of the engraving.

They found out that the engraved lines did not resulted from cutting of meat and skins that that repeatedly passed on a robust pointed lithic tool into a rock that were carved by deep grooves.

Researchers explained that the engravings were skillfully carved by Neanderthals using 188 to 317 different strokes.

They believe that discovery showed that graphic expression was not just made by modern humans and some Neanderthals created abstract engraving to make their space.

The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, supported by the European Research Council.