Neanderthals Used Turtle Shells as Tools 125,000 Years Ago in Central Germany

Evidence unearthed at Neumark-Nord in Germany indicates that Neanderthals, approximately 125,000 years ago, hunted European pond turtles primarily for their shells rather than for consumption. A study of 92 shell fragments revealed cut marks, suggesting the removal of flesh. Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser, the lead archaeologist from Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, emphasized the site's "complete caloric surplus," supported by plentiful food sources such as hazelnuts and large game. This finding, the first of its kind north of the Alps, implies that Neanderthals utilized shells as containers. Excavations conducted from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s uncovered thousands of bones from various species, indicating that Neanderthals occupied the area for over 2,000 years, refining their butchering techniques and tools. The research, featured in Scientific Reports, underscores their varied resource utilization and environmental influence.