Seasonal shellfish habits revealed

The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that 115,000 years ago Neanderthal groups from Los Aviones Cave (Cartagena, Region of Murcia, Spain) were already consuming mollusks following a clearly seasonal pattern, particularly during the colder months of the year, from November to April.

For decades, the ability of Neanderthal populations to adapt to coastal environments and exploit marine resources in an organized manner has been the subject of intense debate in archaeology and human evolution. Traditionally, the regular consumption of shellfish and seasonal planning were considered traits exclusive to our species, Homo sapiens. However, this recent finding challenges that paradigm.

The study analyzed marine mollusk remains (including small gastropods and limpets) recovered from Los Aviones Cave at an unprecedented resolution.

The results show that these populations not only collected shellfish sporadically but also possessed a deep understanding of marine ecological cycles, anticipating by thousands of years behaviors later documented in modern humans from the region.

Reading seasons in ancient shells