Spain’s Neanderthals Preferred Seasonal Shellfish

BARCELONA, SPAIN—Analysis of 115,000-year-old marine mollusk remains from southeastern Spain’s Los Aviones Cave suggests that Neanderthals followed a seasonal pattern when collecting shellfish, according to a statement released by the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Such seasonal planning had previously been thought to be a skill possessed solely by modern humans. Researchers led by Asier García-Escárzaga of the Autonomous University of Barcelona measured the levels of oxygen isotopes in the carbonate of the mollusk shells, which primarily depends upon the temperature of seawater, to determine when the seafood had been harvested. “By reconstructing variation during shell growth, these values act as a prehistoric thermometer,” García-Escárzaga explained. “They consumed marine resources throughout the year, but with a very clear preference for the winter and autumn months. This pattern, very similar to that developed by more recent populations of modern humans in Europe and other regions, cannot be coincidental,” he added. In the winter, certain mollusk species have higher meat yield and improved flavor and texture, due to their reproductive cycles. During the warmer months, mollusks can be compromised by toxic algae and decomposition due to heat. Nutrients in the seafood would have provided proteins, fats, and minerals vital to brain and reproductive health as part of a subsistence strategy, García-Escárzaga concluded. To read about how modern humans in southern Africa harvested marine mollusks and shellfish, go to "Our Coastal Origins."