Neanderthal families spent days at the beach research shows
Neanderthal families spent days at the beach new research shows.
Archaeologists have uncovered remarkable evidence that Neanderthals roamed the shores of Portugal, challenging old stereotypes of these early humans as strictly land-bound hunters.
Artist impression of Neanderthals family at the coastal Monte Clérigo tracksite in Portugal. (Pix via Neto de Carvalho et al. / SWNS)
In a study published in Scientific Reports, researchers report the discovery of fossilised hominin footprints along the Portuguese coastline, suggesting Neanderthals walked along beaches and used coastal ecosystems.
They include what appears to be family-sized groups from seasonal hunting campsites walking along coastal dune systems in the Algarve region.
Hominin footprints in Pleistocene coastal deposits at the coastal site sof interest in Portugal. (Pix via Neto de Carvalho et al. / SWNS)
At Monte Clérigo, researchers identified five trackways and 26 Neanderthal footprints, including those left by adults and a toddler. At Praia do Telheiro, they found an isolated footprint attributed to an adolescent or adult female, along with other fossilised animal tracks.
The study reports: “At the Monte Clérigo site, the presence of footprints attributed to, at least, one male adult, one child and one toddler, negotiating the steep slope of a dune, allow us to speculate about close proximity to the campsite.”
Hominin footprints in Pleistocene coastal deposits at the coastal site sof interest in Portugal. (Pix via Neto de Carvalho et al. / SWNS)
The footprint fossils, pressed into ancient sediments, reveal that Neanderthals explored tidal flats, foraged for food, and likely made use of the bounty provided by the Atlantic coastline.
The research adds to a growing body of evidence that these early humans were far more adaptable than once believed, making sophisticated use of their environments beyond inland hunting.
