Neanderthal Children in Central Europe Likely Hunted Turtles for Shells, Not Food
A recent study published in Scientific Reports reveals that Neanderthals in central Europe hunted pond turtles primarily for their shells rather than for nutritional purposes. Researchers analyzed approximately 92 turtle shell fragments, dating back 125,000 years, discovered at the Neumark-Nord Paleolithic site in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. High-resolution 3D scanning identified cut marks on the inner surfaces, indicating careful butchering to remove limbs and organs before cleaning the shells. Professor Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz noted this is the first evidence of such behavior north of the Alps. The team ruled out food as a primary motive due to the abundance of large, high-yield prey like elephants and deer at the site. Given the low nutritional value of pond turtles, researchers suggest they were likely caught by children and processed into tools. While the primary use appears to be material extraction, the study also considers potential medicinal or taste-related reasons. This finding expands understanding of Neanderthal resource utilization beyond the Mediterranean region, highlighting sophisticated processing techniques and potential division of labor within their communities.
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Neanderthal Children in Central Europe Likely Hunted Turtles for Shells, Not Food
A recent study published in Scientific Reports reveals that Neanderthals in central Europe hunted pond turtles primarily for their shells rather than for nutritional purposes. Researchers analyzed approximately 92 turtle shell fragments, dating back 125,000 years, discovered at the Neumark-Nord Paleolithic site in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. High-resolution 3D scanning identified cut marks on the inner surfaces, indicating careful butchering to remove limbs and organs before cleaning the shells. Professor Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz noted this is the first evidence of such behavior north of the Alps. The team ruled out food as a primary motive due to the abundance of large, high-yield prey like elephants and deer at the site. Given the low nutritional value of pond turtles, researchers suggest they were likely caught by children and processed into tools. While the primary use appears to be material extraction, the study also considers potential medicinal or taste-related reasons. This finding expands understanding of Neanderthal resource utilization beyond the Mediterranean region, highlighting sophisticated processing techniques and potential division of labor within their communities.
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