Rare archaeological site shows Neanderthals were crafty and adaptable

A new study at a site in Spain reveals that Neanderthals were skilled hunters, capable of targeting a wide range of prey and adapting to a wide range of environmental conditions. They also used different technologies to craft their tools.

Far from primitive brutes

Neanderthals, our closest extinct relatives, were a species of hominins that lived across Europe and western Asia up until 40,000 years ago. They had robust physiques, large brains, and distinctive features such as pronounced brow ridges and the lack of a prominent chin. Neanderthals were skilled hunters and toolmakers, despite the false widespread idea of primitive Neanderthal brutes.

Based on existing evidence, Neanderthals were every bit as adaptable and cunning as humans. However, we don’t have many Neanderthal sites, so Abric Pizzaro is important for understanding Neanderthals.

Abric Pizarro, located close to the Pyrenees mountains in Spain, dates from around 100,000 years ago to 65,000 years ago. It offers a unique glimpse into Neanderthal life during that period, as most Neanderthal sites are either newer or older. Lead author Sofia Samper Carro further explains that this site holds important clues to their resilience.

“Our surprising findings at Abric Pizarro show how adaptable Neanderthals were. The animal bones we have recovered indicate that they were successfully exploiting the surrounding fauna, hunting red deer, horses, and bison, but also eating freshwater turtles and rabbits, which imply a degree of planning rarely considered for Neanderthals,” she said.

The site yielded over 280,000 bone fragments, with a significant portion identified to species level. The diversity of species, including cervids, equids, and large bovids, suggests Neanderthals had a broad diet and were adept hunters. Furthermore, the variation in species representation across different archaeological units indicates that Neanderthals might have adapted their hunting strategies based on environmental conditions and resource availability.

This challenges the idea that Neanderthals only hunted big creatures.

“Through the bones that we are finding, which display cut marks, we have direct proof that Neanderthals were capable of hunting small animals,” Dr. Samper Carro said. “The bones on this site are very well preserved, and we can see marks of how Neanderthals processed and butchered these animals.

It’s not just the animals they hunted and ate, either — the tools also highlight Neanderthal adaptability. The majority of tools were made from chert, a material readily available in the region. The analysis of these tools reveals different knapping techniques. So, Neanderthals were skilled in different lithic technologies, possibly reflecting changes in environmental conditions or cultural practices over time.

“Our analysis of the stone artifacts also demonstrates variability in the type of tools produced, indicating Neanderthals’ capability to exploit the available resources in the area.”

Understanding the Neanderthal environment and survival

Understanding the environment in which Neanderthals lived is crucial for interpreting their behavior and survival strategies. At Abric Pizarro, paleoenvironmental data were collected through palynological (pollen) analysis and anthracological (charcoal) studies. These data provide a window into the climate and vegetation of this area at the time.

The palynological analysis revealed that the landscape around Abric Pizarro was dominated by evergreen oak woodland, with a significant presence of Mediterranean vegetation like juniper, Olea, and Pistacia. This suggests that the region, while experiencing glacial conditions, acted as a refugium with milder climates compared to northern Europe.

Interestingly, the anthracological data, which focused on charcoal remains from the site, showed a dominance of Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) wood. This indicates that Neanderthals at Abric Pizarro selectively used pine wood for fuel, possibly because it was abundant in the surrounding forests. The presence of pine in all three archaeological units suggests a continuity of cold-adapted forest throughout MIS 4, providing a stable source of fuel for Neanderthal populations.

All this points to a Neanderthal population that navigated a complex environment and used it with remarkable ability.

“The unique site at Abric Pizarro gives a glimpse of Neanderthal behavior in a landscape they had been roaming for hundreds of thousands of years,” Dr. Samper Carro said. “They clearly knew what they were doing. They knew the area and how to survive for a long time.

Humans came in and Neanderthals went extinct

The findings also have important implications for our understanding of Neanderthal extinction.

“Neanderthals disappeared around 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.

The arrival of anatomically modern humans and competition for resources are often cited as factors in Neanderthal decline.

However, the evidence from Abric Pizarro doesn’t necessarily point in that direction. Instead, it may suggest that environmental adaptability was not a limiting factor for these hominins. Instead, a complex interplay of factors — climatic, ecological, and interspecies interactions — might have ultimately led to their disappearance.

Overall, the new analysis highlights the resilience and adaptability of Neanderthals, challenging simplistic narratives of Neanderthal extinction and underscoring their complexity as a species. As research at Abric Pizarro continues, it will undoubtedly yield further insights into the lives of these enigmatic early humans.

Journal Reference: Sofia C. Samper Carro et al, Living on the edge: Abric Pizarro, a MIS 4 Neanderthal site in the lowermost foothills of the southeastern Pre-Pyrenees (Lleida, Iberian Peninsula), Journal of Archaeological Science (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2024.106038