Late Paleolithic whale bone tools reveal human and whale ecology in the Bay of Biscay
Abstract Reconstructing how prehistoric humans used the products obtained from large cetaceans is challenging, but key to understand the history of early human coastal adaptations. Here we report the multiproxy analysis (ZooMS, radiocarbon, stable isotopes) of worked objects made of whale bone, and...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59486-8 |
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| author | Krista McGrath Laura G. van der Sluis Alexandre Lefebvre Anne Charpentier Ana S. L. Rodrigues Esteban Álvarez-Fernández François Baleux Eduardo Berganza François-Xavier Chauvière Morgane Dachary Elsa Duarte Matías Claire Houmard Ana B. Marín-Arroyo Marco de la Rasilla Vives Jesus Tapia François Thil Olivier Tombret Leire Torres-Iglesias Camilla Speller Antoine Zazzo Jean-Marc Pétillon |
| author_facet | Krista McGrath Laura G. van der Sluis Alexandre Lefebvre Anne Charpentier Ana S. L. Rodrigues Esteban Álvarez-Fernández François Baleux Eduardo Berganza François-Xavier Chauvière Morgane Dachary Elsa Duarte Matías Claire Houmard Ana B. Marín-Arroyo Marco de la Rasilla Vives Jesus Tapia François Thil Olivier Tombret Leire Torres-Iglesias Camilla Speller Antoine Zazzo Jean-Marc Pétillon |
| author_sort | Krista McGrath |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Reconstructing how prehistoric humans used the products obtained from large cetaceans is challenging, but key to understand the history of early human coastal adaptations. Here we report the multiproxy analysis (ZooMS, radiocarbon, stable isotopes) of worked objects made of whale bone, and unworked whale bone fragments, found at Upper Paleolithic sites (Magdalenian) around the Bay of Biscay. Taxonomic identification using ZooMS reveals at least five species of large whales, expanding the range of known taxa whose products were utilized by humans in this period. Radiocarbon places the use of whale products ca. 20–14 ka cal BP, with a maximum diffusion and diversity at 17.5–16 ka cal BP, making it the oldest evidence of whale-bone working to our knowledge. δ13C and δ15N stable isotope values reflect taxon-specific differences in foraging behavior. The diversity and chronology of these cetacean populations attest to the richness of the marine ecosystem of the Bay of Biscay in the late Paleolithic, broadening our understanding of coastal adaptations at that time. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-4aeb5cd2bc414d99834418d848ab1d942025-08-24T11:38:59ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-05-0116111510.1038/s41467-025-59486-8Late Paleolithic whale bone tools reveal human and whale ecology in the Bay of BiscayKrista McGrath0Laura G. van der Sluis1Alexandre Lefebvre2Anne Charpentier3Ana S. L. Rodrigues4Esteban Álvarez-Fernández5François Baleux6Eduardo Berganza7François-Xavier Chauvière8Morgane Dachary9Elsa Duarte Matías10Claire Houmard11Ana B. Marín-Arroyo12Marco de la Rasilla Vives13Jesus Tapia14François Thil15Olivier Tombret16Leire Torres-Iglesias17Camilla Speller18Antoine Zazzo19Jean-Marc Pétillon20Department of Prehistory and Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB), Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBioArchéologie, Interactions Sociétés Environnements (BioArch), UMR 7209, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CNRSGrupo I + D + i EVOADAPTA, Universidad de CantabriaCEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDCEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRDGIR PREHUSAL, Universidad de Salamanca, Facultad de Geografía e Historia, Departamento de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y ArqueologíaTravaux et Recherches Archéologiques sur les Cultures, les Espaces et les Sociétés (TRACES) UMR 5608, CNRS, Université Toulouse Jean JaurèsSociedad de Ciencias AranzadiOffice du patrimoine et de l’archéologie du canton de Neuchâtel, section Archéologie, LaténiumTravaux et Recherches Archéologiques sur les Cultures, les Espaces et les Sociétés (TRACES) UMR 5608, CNRS, Université Toulouse Jean JaurèsDepartamento de Historia, Universidad de OviedoUniversité de Franche-Comté, UMR 6249 Chrono-environnementGrupo I + D + i EVOADAPTA, Universidad de CantabriaDepartamento de Historia, Universidad de OviedoSociedad de Ciencias AranzadiLaboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (LSCE/IPSL), UMR 8212, CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Université Paris SaclayBioArchéologie, Interactions Sociétés Environnements (BioArch), UMR 7209, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CNRSGrupo I + D + i EVOADAPTA, Universidad de CantabriaDepartment of Anthropology, University of British ColumbiaBioArchéologie, Interactions Sociétés Environnements (BioArch), UMR 7209, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CNRSTravaux et Recherches Archéologiques sur les Cultures, les Espaces et les Sociétés (TRACES) UMR 5608, CNRS, Université Toulouse Jean JaurèsAbstract Reconstructing how prehistoric humans used the products obtained from large cetaceans is challenging, but key to understand the history of early human coastal adaptations. Here we report the multiproxy analysis (ZooMS, radiocarbon, stable isotopes) of worked objects made of whale bone, and unworked whale bone fragments, found at Upper Paleolithic sites (Magdalenian) around the Bay of Biscay. Taxonomic identification using ZooMS reveals at least five species of large whales, expanding the range of known taxa whose products were utilized by humans in this period. Radiocarbon places the use of whale products ca. 20–14 ka cal BP, with a maximum diffusion and diversity at 17.5–16 ka cal BP, making it the oldest evidence of whale-bone working to our knowledge. δ13C and δ15N stable isotope values reflect taxon-specific differences in foraging behavior. The diversity and chronology of these cetacean populations attest to the richness of the marine ecosystem of the Bay of Biscay in the late Paleolithic, broadening our understanding of coastal adaptations at that time.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59486-8 |
| spellingShingle | Krista McGrath Laura G. van der Sluis Alexandre Lefebvre Anne Charpentier Ana S. L. Rodrigues Esteban Álvarez-Fernández François Baleux Eduardo Berganza François-Xavier Chauvière Morgane Dachary Elsa Duarte Matías Claire Houmard Ana B. Marín-Arroyo Marco de la Rasilla Vives Jesus Tapia François Thil Olivier Tombret Leire Torres-Iglesias Camilla Speller Antoine Zazzo Jean-Marc Pétillon Late Paleolithic whale bone tools reveal human and whale ecology in the Bay of Biscay Nature Communications |
| title | Late Paleolithic whale bone tools reveal human and whale ecology in the Bay of Biscay |
| title_full | Late Paleolithic whale bone tools reveal human and whale ecology in the Bay of Biscay |
| title_fullStr | Late Paleolithic whale bone tools reveal human and whale ecology in the Bay of Biscay |
| title_full_unstemmed | Late Paleolithic whale bone tools reveal human and whale ecology in the Bay of Biscay |
| title_short | Late Paleolithic whale bone tools reveal human and whale ecology in the Bay of Biscay |
| title_sort | late paleolithic whale bone tools reveal human and whale ecology in the bay of biscay |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59486-8 |
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