Scientists say turtle shells could hold clues to secret side of Neanderthal behavior

Cavemen hunted turtles — but not for food, caller probe suggests.

Scientists accidental that shells of reptiles caught by children whitethorn person been utilized arsenic ladles oregon digging devices by aboriginal humans implicit 100,000 years ago. 

Careful cleaning of fragments recovered astatine the Neumark-Nord archaeological tract successful Germany indicates that pond turtle shells were utilized arsenic tiny containers oregon scoop-like implements, quality bureau SWNS reported.

SCIENTISTS SHATTER TIMELINE OF HUMAN FIRE-MAKING WITH 400,000-YEAR-OLD DISCOVERY IN ENGLAND

An planetary probe squad examined pieces of turtle ammunition — dating backmost immoderate 125,000 years — discovered astatine the excavation successful what is present the Saxony-Anhalt portion of Germany.

Using methods including high-resolution 3D scanning, researchers recovered that galore of the 92 fragments carnivore chopped marks connected their interior surfaces, indicating that the turtles were cautiously butchered by Neanderthals — with limbs detached, interior organs removed and shells thoroughly cleaned.

Researchers judge the pond turtles were not utilized for nutrient — arsenic abundant high-yield prey meant determination was apt a caloric surplus successful the area. (iStock)

Study person Professor Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser said, "Our information supply the archetypal grounds that Neanderthals hunted and processed turtles northbound of the Alps, beyond the Mediterranean region."

However, the squad judge the turtles were not utilized arsenic a nutrient source.

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Prof Gaudzinski-Windheuser of the Institute for Ancient Studies astatine Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) successful Mainz said, "We tin virtually regularisation this out, fixed the abundance of remains [of] large, high-yield prey animals astatine this site. There was successful each likelihood a implicit caloric surplus."

A full of much than 100,000 carnal bones oregon bony fragments person already been recovered astatine Neumark-Nord, including galore bones from deer, cattle and horses, arsenic good arsenic from the largest onshore mammals of the clip — the European straight-tusked elephant, which could measurement much than 10 tons. 

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The probe squad reported past twelvemonth that Neanderthals operated a benignant of "factory" astatine the site, systematically extracting abdominous from the bones of ample mammals.

"Pond turtles person a comparatively debased nutritional value," weighing astir 2.2 pounds, said the study's pb study.  (iStock)

Gaudzinski-Windheuser said that "pond turtles person a comparatively debased nutritional value," weighing astir 2.2 pounds.

"However, they are comparatively casual to drawback and whitethorn truthful person been hunted by children. Their shells whitethorn past person been processed into tools."

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She said it was besides imaginable they were hunted for their sensation oregon for an assumed medicinal worth — a proposition supported by findings from studies of aboriginal Indigenous peoples.

"Our information supply the archetypal grounds that Neanderthals hunted and processed turtles northbound of the Alps, beyond the Mediterranean region," said the study's pb writer (not pictured).  (iStock)

Prof Gaudzinski-Windheuser added, "Our existent results shed caller airy connected the ecological flexibility and analyzable endurance strategies of Neanderthals, which went acold beyond elemental caloric maximization."

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The caller survey was published successful the diary Scientific Reports. It's the latest successful a bid of ongoing technological analyses of worldly from the erstwhile open-cast lignite excavation astatine Neumark-Nord.