Los Aviones Cave remains in Spain show Neanderthals gathered shellfish in every season around 115,000 years ago, with the heaviest harvesting from late autumn to early spring.
Oxygen isotope patterns preserved in limpets and small sea snails let researchers track seawater temperatures and pinpoint when the animals were collected and eaten.
The seasonal pattern suggests planned use of coastal food sources rather than emergency foraging, challenging the view that organized marine resource use was unique to Homo sapiens.
Researchers say cooler-month harvesting likely brought more edible meat and lower risks from spoilage and harmful algae, pointing to detailed knowledge of marine cycles.
Published in PNAS, the study places southern Spain among the oldest known examples of structured marine resource gathering and adds to evidence of Neanderthals' flexible survival skills.
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Neanderthals’ Advanced Seasonal Shellfish Foraging in Spain 115,000 Years Ago: New Evidence Redefines Their Intelligence and Adaptability
Overview
Recent research at Los Aviones Cave in Spain has revealed that Neanderthals practiced advanced, seasonally structured foraging for shellfish about 115,000 years ago. By analyzing oxygen isotopes in ancient mollusk shells, scientists used a 'prehistoric thermometer' to determine when these shellfish were collected. The findings show Neanderthals preferred harvesting in colder months, a strategy once thought unique to modern humans. This discovery challenges old assumptions and highlights the complex behaviors and adaptability of Neanderthals, showing they had a deep understanding of their environment and resource management long before Homo sapiens.