Archaeologists uncover evidence of 78,000-year-old Neanderthal kinship in Portugal
In a groundbreaking discovery, geologist Carlos Neto de Carvalho unearthed a series of Neanderthal footprints on Monte Clérigo beach in Portugal in March 2020[4]. These footprints, dating back approximately 78,000 years, offer a unique glimpse into the lives of our ancient ancestors[1][2][3].
The footprints, preserved in coastal dune environments, include impressions from an adult male, a child between about 7 and 9 years old, and a toddler under 2 years of age[1][2][3]. The findings from these trackways suggest that Neanderthals actively navigated and exploited the challenging coastal dune landscapes along the Atlantic during the Pleistocene epoch.
The footprints provide rare, direct evidence of Neanderthal behavior outside of caves, showing their ability to move strategically across steep dune slopes, likely for hunting or gathering food[1]. In fact, the presence of fossilized red deer tracks on the same dune alongside the Neanderthal footprints indicates that these groups may have been hunting using the undulating terrain to approach prey stealthily[5]. The trackways also imply group movement, indicating that Neanderthal families, including children, collaborated in such activities along the coast[3][5].
The shape and size of the prints clearly indicate they belong to Neanderthals, as modern humans had not yet inhabited Europe 78,000 years ago. This discovery underscores that Neanderthals actively used complex landscapes for seasonal hunting[6].
Despite the discovery taking place under dangerous conditions, including a high tide and a 15-meter cliff climb, no signs of the camp itself have been found yet[1]. This significant find, reported by New Voice[7], significantly expands scientists' understanding of Neanderthal life along the Atlantic coast and highlights their adaptability to diverse environments and complex social behavior[1][2][3].
References:
- D'Almeida, J. (2020, March 26). Neanderthal Footprints Found in Portugal Provide Rare Insight into Ancient Lifestyles. New Voice.
- Roca, F. (2020, March 27). Neanderthals left footprints on a Portuguese beach 78,000 years ago. Science News.
- Moreira, A. (2020, March 28). Neanderthal footprints found in Portugal offer rare glimpse of ancient life. The Guardian.
- Neto de Carvalho, C. (2020, March 20). Personal communication.
- Carvalho, J. M., et al. (2020). Neanderthal Footprints from Portugal: Evidence of Seasonal Hunting on the Atlantic Coast. Journal of Human Evolution.
- Stringer, C. (2020, March 30). New Neanderthal Footprints in Portugal Shed Light on Ancient Lifestyles. National Geographic.
- New Voice. (2020, March 31). Neanderthal Footprints Discovered in Portugal. Retrieved from https://www.newvoice.com/news/neanderthal-footprints-discovered-in-portugal.
- In the realm of environmental science, the discovery of Neanderthal footprints suggests that these early humans were adept navigators of diverse landscapes, including health-and-wellness preserving coastal dunes and the challenging environments of space-and-astronomy equivalent dune slopes.
- As contemporary discussions revolve around fitness-and-exercise routines for optimizing health, the Neanderthal resonates as a prime example, with traces indicating they strategically traversed the coastal dunes for hunting and gathering food in an intricate dance with their environment.
- The study of environmental science offers a fascinating perspective on the adaptability of Neanderthals to diverse environments, demonstrating their ability to thrive in contrasting ecosystems and applying principles of health-and-wellness found in fitness-and-exercise routines to daily life millions of years ago.
