Two experiments were conducted to assess the referential function of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) gestures to obtain food. The chimpanzees received 1 trial per condition. In Experiment 1 (N= 101), in full view of the chimpanzee, a banana was placed on top of 1 of 2 inverted buckets or was hidden underneath 1 of the buckets. In Experiment 2 (N= 35), 4 conditions were presented in constant order:(a) no food, no observer;(b) no food, observer present;(c) food present, no observer; and (d) food present, observer present. Gestures and visual orienting were used socially and referentially. The capacity for nonverbal reference may predate the Hominidae-Pongidae split, and the development of nonverbal reference may be independent of human species-specific adaptations for speech.(PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)