Seasonal shellfish exploitation by Neanderthals 115,000 years ago.

Area of Science:

• Paleoanthropology
• Archaeology
• Paleoclimatology

Background:

• The southern European coast is key to understanding Neanderthal vs. modern human cognitive and social capabilities.
• Neanderthal marine resource exploitation challenges the view of coastal adaptation as unique to modern humans.
• The seasonal nature of Neanderthal marine foraging strategies requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate Neanderthal seasonal foraging strategies on the southern European coast.
• To analyze mollusk shell data for evidence of specific exploitation periods.
• To compare Neanderthal coastal resource use with that of early modern humans.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of oxygen isotope composition in mollusk shells.
• Shells were collected from Neanderthal sites in Los Aviones Cave, Iberian Peninsula.
• Interpretation of isotopic data to determine seasonal exploitation patterns.

Main Results:

• Neanderthals primarily exploited intertidal mollusks during the colder months.
• The harvesting pattern indicates targeted seasonal foraging.
• This strategy predates similar behaviors observed in later modern human populations.

Conclusions:

• Neanderthals exhibited behavioral flexibility in exploiting coastal ecosystems.
• Seasonal marine foraging by Neanderthals challenges established timelines of complex behaviors.
• This finding contributes to a more nuanced understanding of Neanderthal cognitive and adaptive capacities.