Neanderthals Planned Seasonal Meals 115,000 Years Ago

Researchers from the University of Burgos and the International Institute of Prehistoric Research of Cantabria analyzed shellfish remains in Cueva de los Aviones, Spain. They examined oxygen isotopes within the shells of limpets and snails to determine when the mollusks were harvested. The team found that roughly 78% of shellfish consumption occurred during colder months, November to April, while consumption dropped to about 5% in the summer.

The scientists believe Neanderthals favored winter harvests because the shellfish had more meat and better texture then. Avoiding summer harvests also prevented food spoilage from heat and exposure to toxic algal blooms. This discovery challenges the idea that long-term planning was unique to Homo sapiens.

The study demonstrates Neanderthals understood annual cycles and planned their diets accordingly. Determining the full extent of Neanderthal cognitive abilities remains an ongoing investigation.