On the origin of our fascination with crystals

Abstract

Crystals are fascinating structures of solid or liquid matter where atoms, molecules, and/or ions are, on average, arranged in a highly ordered lattice. It is well-documented that some of the earliest objects collected by our hominin ancestors, without evident practical purpose, were small quartz and calcite crystals. These crystals, measuring a few centimeters, had no known utility as weapons, tools, or ornaments. However, hominins appear to have appreciated these stones, collecting and transporting them from their place of discovery to their shelters. This behavior, registered as far back as 780,000 years ago, has been interpreted as early evidence of symbolic thought in much younger archaeological contexts. In this study, we adopted an experimental approach to investigate the factors underlying the nature of our ancestral fascination with crystals. We designed a series of experiments with enculturated chimpanzees, one of our two closest living nonhuman relatives, who share significant genetic and behavioral traits with humans. The experiments aimed to identify which physical properties of crystals might have attracted chimpanzees and hominins. Our results suggest that enculturated chimpanzees can identify and distinguish crystals from other types of stones. We found that transparency and geometric shape were the two attractors guiding chimpanzees. These properties are notably salient in the natural environments of both chimpanzees and hominins. Furthermore, the crystals elicited exploratory behaviors in the enculturated chimpanzees, who engaged in voluntary and intentional actions to investigate crystalline transparency and compare shape. We discuss the relevance of these findings for understanding hominin behavior, proposing that similar responses to crystals in hominins and non-hominin apes could reflect a shared cognitive predisposition. Our study provides insights into the potential role of crystal collection in cognitive evolution and highlights the significance of material properties in shaping early symbolic behaviors.