Archaeologists have found ‘surprising’ new evidence suggesting Neanderthals were smarter than previously thought.
Excavations near the Pyrenees in Spain have unearthed more than 29,000 artifacts, including stone tools and animal bones, showing that the ancient hominin primates were skilled and intelligent hunters.
Animal bones found at the site show that our ancestors based their meals on the environment and developed tools specifically designed to kill large animals such as bison or smaller animals such as rabbits.
“The findings show that Neanderthals were adaptable to their environment, challenging the reputation of archaic humans as slow cave dwellers and providing more insight into their survival and hunting skills,” the researchers said.
Excavations near the Pyrenees in Spain have yielded more than 29,000 artifacts, including stone tools and animal bones, suggesting the ancient hominid primates were skilled and intelligent hunters
Researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) have combed the foothills of Abric Pizarro, a site dating from 100,000 to 65,000 years ago, during a period called MIS 4, looking for clues about the extinct species.
The region is home to a large number of caves and rock formations where Neanderthals once lived.
“Our surprising findings at Abric Pizarro show how adaptable Neanderthals were,” said lead researcher Dr Sofia Samper Carro.
‘The animal bones we found indicate that they successfully exploited the fauna in their environment. They hunted red deer, horses and bison, but also ate freshwater turtles and rabbits. This indicates a degree of planning that is rarely seen in Neanderthals.’
According to the researchers, these new insights refute the widely held view that Neanderthals only hunted large animals such as horses and rhinoceroses.
“The bones we find, with cut marks, provide us with direct evidence that Neanderthals were able to hunt small animals,” said Dr Samper Carro.
‘The bones at this site are very well preserved and we can see traces of the way Neanderthals processed and slaughtered these animals.
‘Our analysis of the stone artefacts also shows that there is variation in the types of tools that were produced, suggesting that Neanderthals were able to exploit the available resources in the area.’
“The findings show that Neanderthals were adaptable to their environment, challenging the reputation of archaic humans as slow-moving cavemen and providing further insight into their survival and hunting skills,” the researchers said.
The team created a 3D map showing where each artifact was found during the dig, allowing them to more accurately interpret the possible relationship between each Neanderthal tool and each meal.
“We make a 3D plot of every remains that are larger than one to two centimeters. This makes our work slow, and we have been digging at some of these sites for over 20 years, but it provides a uniquely accurate record of the sites,” said Dr. Samper Carro.
‘We are interested in how the different data relate to each other, from stone tools to bones and hearths.
‘This more thorough excavation will provide archaeologists with information about how Neanderthals lived and how long they stayed in a particular area.
‘It’s not just the individual materials that give us clues, but also where exactly they are found in relation to other materials at the site, which helps us understand how and when Neanderthals visited these sites. Were they settled there or were they just passing through?’
By gaining more insight into this crucial transitional period, archaeologists are moving closer to solving a mystery that has plagued researchers for decades: What drove the Neanderthals to extinction?
According to the researchers, the discovery of sites such as Abric Pizarro, from this specific and poorly documented period, provides information about how Neanderthals lived before modern humans were present in the area and shows that they were doing well.
To support the new study, more than 29,000 artifacts larger than 2 centimeters each, including stone tools and animal remains such as teeth and bones, were mapped out in 3D across the dig site. This 3D map helped interpret the possible relationship between each Neanderthal tool and meal.
“The unique site at Abric Pizarro provides a glimpse into the behaviour of Neanderthals in a landscape where they roamed for hundreds of thousands of years,” said Dr Samper Carro.
‘Neanderthals disappeared about 40,000 years ago. Suddenly, we modern humans appear in this region of the Pyrenees, and the Neanderthals disappear. But before that, Neanderthals had been living in Europe for almost 300,000 years.
‘They clearly knew what they were doing. They knew the area and knew how to survive there for a long time.
‘This is one of the most interesting things about this site: the unique information about the time when Neanderthals lived alone and in harsh conditions, and how they lived before modern humans appeared.’