Earliest evidence of Neanderthal multifunctional bone tool production from cave lion (Panthera spelaea) remains
Abstract Throughout history, humans have had a complex relationship with lions, both reverencing and fearing them. Interactions between Neanderthals and cave lions (Panthera spelaea) remain poorly documented due to the scarcity of direct evidence. This study examines the selective use of cave lion b...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08588-w |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849769408458653696 |
|---|---|
| author | Grégory Abrams Patrick Auguste Stéphane Pirson Isabelle De Groote Éva Halbrucker Kévin Di Modica Camille Pironneau Tristan Dedrie Carlo Meloro Valentin Fischer Hervé Bocherens Yves Vanbrabant Fabrice Bray |
| author_facet | Grégory Abrams Patrick Auguste Stéphane Pirson Isabelle De Groote Éva Halbrucker Kévin Di Modica Camille Pironneau Tristan Dedrie Carlo Meloro Valentin Fischer Hervé Bocherens Yves Vanbrabant Fabrice Bray |
| author_sort | Grégory Abrams |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Throughout history, humans have had a complex relationship with lions, both reverencing and fearing them. Interactions between Neanderthals and cave lions (Panthera spelaea) remain poorly documented due to the scarcity of direct evidence. This study examines the selective use of cave lion bones by Neanderthals to determine whether this behaviour was driven by practical, functional, or symbolic factors, through a detailed zooarchaeological analysis. Previous studies highlighted Neanderthals’ skinning and butchering of cave lions, yet new discoveries at Scladina Cave (Belgium) offer deeper insights into this relationship. Dated to the end of the Saalian, the faunal assemblage provides the earliest evidence of bone tools crafted from cave lion remains. A tibia was deliberately processed into multifunctional tools, initially serving as an intermediate tool before being repurposed as retouchers. Proteomic analysis applied on the remains, confirmed the specific identification. These findings reveal that Neanderthals not only competed with but actively utilized cave lions for practical purposes, indicating complex ecological and behavioral interactions. Relationships between pre-humans and large predators, rooted in the Middle Pleistocene, suggest a strategic exploitation of carnivore remains. However, opportunistic procurement cannot be entirely ruled out as a potential factor influencing animal choice in tool production. The intentional transformation of lion bones into functional tools highlights Neanderthals’ cognitive skills, adaptability, and capacity for resource utilization beyond their immediate survival needs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-064aa9f942ef4a85b434aaa0b069708d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-064aa9f942ef4a85b434aaa0b069708d2025-08-20T03:03:25ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111710.1038/s41598-025-08588-wEarliest evidence of Neanderthal multifunctional bone tool production from cave lion (Panthera spelaea) remainsGrégory Abrams0Patrick Auguste1Stéphane Pirson2Isabelle De Groote3Éva Halbrucker4Kévin Di Modica5Camille Pironneau6Tristan Dedrie7Carlo Meloro8Valentin Fischer9Hervé Bocherens10Yves Vanbrabant11Fabrice Bray12ArcheOs, Research Laboratory for Biological Anthropology, Ghent Archaeological Sciences Centre, Department of Archaeology, Ghent UniversityCNRS, University Lille UMR 8198 - Evo-Eco-PaléoDirection Scientifique et Technique, Agence Wallonne du PatrimoineArcheOs, Research Laboratory for Biological Anthropology, Ghent Archaeological Sciences Centre, Department of Archaeology, Ghent UniversityPrehistory Research Group, Department of Archaeology, Ghent UniversityScladina Cave Archaeological Centre, Espace muséal d’AndenneArcheOs, Research Laboratory for Biological Anthropology, Ghent Archaeological Sciences Centre, Department of Archaeology, Ghent UniversityArcheOs, Research Laboratory for Biological Anthropology, Ghent Archaeological Sciences Centre, Department of Archaeology, Ghent UniversityResearch Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores UniversityEvolution & Diversity Dynamics Lab, UR Geology, University of LiègeDepartment of Geosciences, Biogeology, University of TübingenGeological Survey of Belgium, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural SciencesUAR 3290 - MSAP - Miniaturisation pour la Synthèse, l’Analyse et la Protéomique, CNRS, University of LilleAbstract Throughout history, humans have had a complex relationship with lions, both reverencing and fearing them. Interactions between Neanderthals and cave lions (Panthera spelaea) remain poorly documented due to the scarcity of direct evidence. This study examines the selective use of cave lion bones by Neanderthals to determine whether this behaviour was driven by practical, functional, or symbolic factors, through a detailed zooarchaeological analysis. Previous studies highlighted Neanderthals’ skinning and butchering of cave lions, yet new discoveries at Scladina Cave (Belgium) offer deeper insights into this relationship. Dated to the end of the Saalian, the faunal assemblage provides the earliest evidence of bone tools crafted from cave lion remains. A tibia was deliberately processed into multifunctional tools, initially serving as an intermediate tool before being repurposed as retouchers. Proteomic analysis applied on the remains, confirmed the specific identification. These findings reveal that Neanderthals not only competed with but actively utilized cave lions for practical purposes, indicating complex ecological and behavioral interactions. Relationships between pre-humans and large predators, rooted in the Middle Pleistocene, suggest a strategic exploitation of carnivore remains. However, opportunistic procurement cannot be entirely ruled out as a potential factor influencing animal choice in tool production. The intentional transformation of lion bones into functional tools highlights Neanderthals’ cognitive skills, adaptability, and capacity for resource utilization beyond their immediate survival needs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08588-w |
| spellingShingle | Grégory Abrams Patrick Auguste Stéphane Pirson Isabelle De Groote Éva Halbrucker Kévin Di Modica Camille Pironneau Tristan Dedrie Carlo Meloro Valentin Fischer Hervé Bocherens Yves Vanbrabant Fabrice Bray Earliest evidence of Neanderthal multifunctional bone tool production from cave lion (Panthera spelaea) remains Scientific Reports |
| title | Earliest evidence of Neanderthal multifunctional bone tool production from cave lion (Panthera spelaea) remains |
| title_full | Earliest evidence of Neanderthal multifunctional bone tool production from cave lion (Panthera spelaea) remains |
| title_fullStr | Earliest evidence of Neanderthal multifunctional bone tool production from cave lion (Panthera spelaea) remains |
| title_full_unstemmed | Earliest evidence of Neanderthal multifunctional bone tool production from cave lion (Panthera spelaea) remains |
| title_short | Earliest evidence of Neanderthal multifunctional bone tool production from cave lion (Panthera spelaea) remains |
| title_sort | earliest evidence of neanderthal multifunctional bone tool production from cave lion panthera spelaea remains |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08588-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gregoryabrams earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT patrickauguste earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT stephanepirson earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT isabelledegroote earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT evahalbrucker earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT kevindimodica earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT camillepironneau earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT tristandedrie earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT carlomeloro earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT valentinfischer earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT hervebocherens earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT yvesvanbrabant earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains AT fabricebray earliestevidenceofneanderthalmultifunctionalbonetoolproductionfromcavelionpantheraspelaearemains |