Neanderthals were pioneers in marineresource exploitation: study26 March 2020

Pieces of clam Ruditapes decussatus, found in the site.Credit: Mariana Nabais © João Zilhão

The journal Science has published a study led bythe ICREA researcher João Zilhão from theUniversity of Barcelona on the excavation in Cuevade Figueira Brava, Portugal, which was used asshelter by Neanderthal populations about between86,000 and 106,000 years ago. The study revealsfishing and shellfish gathering contributedsignificantly to the subsistence economy of theinhabitants of Figueira Brava. The relevance of thisdiscovery lies in the fact that so far, there was littleevidence of these practices as being commonamong Neanderthals.

Regarding the consequences of this study, JoãoZilhão notes that "an influent model on our originssuggests the common consumption of waterresources, rich in Omega3 and other fatty acidsthat favour the development of brain tissues, wouldhave increased the cognitive skills of modernanatomy humans. That is, those humans who, inAfrica, were contemporaries of Neanderthals andare usually regarded as the only ancestors of thecurrent Homo sapiens." But the results of theexcavation of Figueira Brava reveal that if thiscommon consumption of marine resources playedan important role in the development of cognitive

skills, it did so for all humanity, includingNeanderthals, and not only the African populationthat spread later."

Zilhão, a member of the Prehistoric Studies andResearch Seminar (SERP-UB), cites "proof thataccumulated over the last decade to showNeanderthals had a symbolic material culture." Twoyears ago, in 2018, the journals Science and Science Advances published two studies co-led byJoão Zilhão reporting that over 65,000 years ago,Neanderthals made cave paintings in at least threecaves in the Iberian Peninsula: La Pasiega,Maltravieso and Ardales (Science).

Furthermore, more than 115,000 years ago inCueva de los Aviones (Murcia, Spain), they usedperforated marine shells and ocher remains aspendants and shell containers with residues ofcomplex mixes of pigment (Science Advances).These findings "support a view on human evolutionin which the known fossil variants, such asNeanderthals in Europe and African anatomicalcontemporaries should be understood as remainsfrom our ancestors, not as different higher-lowerspecies," notes Zilhão.

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Cracked-open and burnt fragments of Cancer paguruspincer? Credit: José Paulo Ruas © João Zilhão

Fifty percent of the diet of the inhabitants inFigueira Brava consisted of coastal resources:molluscs (limpet, mussel and clams); crustaceans(brown crab and spider crab); fish (shark, eel, seabream, mullet), birds (mallard, common scoter,goose, cormorant, gannet, shag, auk, egret, loon),and mammals (dolphin, seal). They additionallyhunted deer, goats, horses, aurochs and othersmall prey such as tortoises. Among the othercarbonised plants were olive trees, vines, fig treesand other Mediterranean climate species, amongwhich the most abundant was the stone pine,burned for heat and cooking. Pine forests wereexploited as fruit tree gardens: Mature pines, albeitclosed, were taken from the branches and stored inthe cave, where the fire could open them.

Marine ressources from Figueira Brava. A. limpets, B.clams, C. crab, D. dolphin vertebrae, E. shark vertebrae.Credit: A-C M. Nabais, D Antunes et al. 2000, E. J. P.Ruas

The study also provides other results suggestingthe bias inherent in the concept of Neanderthals ascold and tundra peoples, experts on huntingmammoths, rhinos, buffalo and reindeer. "MostNeanderthals would have lived in southern regions,specially in Italy and in the Iberian Peninsula, andtheir lifestyle would have been very similar to thosein Figueira Brava," notes Zilhão.

View on the Figueira Brava cave with its three entrances.Credit: João Zilhão

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Horizontal exposure of a mussel shell bed. Credit: JoãoZilhão

Another important finding in the study is thefamiliarity of humans with the sea and its resourcesas something older and wider than previouslythought. "This could probably help explain how,between 45,000 and 50,000 years ago, humanscould cross the Timor Sea to colonize Australia andNew Guinea, and then, about 30,000 years ago,the closest islands to the western Pacific," saysZilhão.

More information: J. Zilhão at Institució Catalanade Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA) inBarcelona, Spain el al., "Last Interglacial IberianNeandertals as fisher-hunter-gatherers," Science(2020). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi …1126/science.aaz7943

"Neanderthal surf and turf," science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi …1126/science.abb3568

Provided by University of BarcelonaAPA citation: Neanderthals were pioneers in marine resource exploitation: study (2020, March 26)retrieved 24 October 2021 from https://phys.org/news/2020-03-neanderthals-marine-resource-exploitation.html

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