Neandertal predation agenda reveals seasonal strategies during MIS 5–4 transition in Axlor, northatlantic Iberia
Abstract As hunter-gatherers, neandertal groups were mobile, moving within their territory based on the availability of targeted resources. Their mobility was an integral part of their subsistence strategies. Level D of the Axlor site is an ideal assemblage for reconstructing human habitats and seas...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| author | Antigone Uzunidis Audrey Roussel Jesús González-Urquijo Talía Lazuen |
| author_facet | Antigone Uzunidis Audrey Roussel Jesús González-Urquijo Talía Lazuen |
| author_sort | Antigone Uzunidis |
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| description | Abstract As hunter-gatherers, neandertal groups were mobile, moving within their territory based on the availability of targeted resources. Their mobility was an integral part of their subsistence strategies. Level D of the Axlor site is an ideal assemblage for reconstructing human habitats and seasonal mobility, as the accumulation of animal carcasses is predominantly of anthropogenic origin. The study of dental remains shows that 99.3% of the remains belong to herbivores. The most common taxa are red deer, Iberian ibex, and steppe bison. Also present are horse, roe deer, chamois and narrow-nosed rhinoceros. The analysis of herbivore diets, using dental mesowear and microwear, indicates that regional and local habitats were dominated by dicots, corresponding to heathlands or forests with some grassy areas. In this context, bison were reconstructed as predominantly grazers while the other herbivorous taxa were mainly browsers. Estimates of mortality periods and duration show that the site was occupied in the warm season, either for long or short repeated stays. Wild goats were hunted throughout the warm season, supplemented by horses and red deer in summer and autumn, and bison in spring and autumn, with occasional predation on chamois, roe deer and rhinoceros. The site was probably geographically located at the intersection of the seasonal movements of several ungulate species, especially in autumn. The ecological characteristics of Axlor Level D were therefore particularly favourable for the procurement of animal-derived resources by Neandertals. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| spelling | doaj-art-ca9f5d97c0714573bbf1485fbcd355792025-08-20T04:02:46ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115112010.1038/s41598-025-08314-6Neandertal predation agenda reveals seasonal strategies during MIS 5–4 transition in Axlor, northatlantic IberiaAntigone Uzunidis0Audrey Roussel1Jesús González-Urquijo2Talía Lazuen3ASM - Archéologie des Sociétés Méditerranéennes, UMR 5140, CNRS, MCC, Univ Paul-ValéryASM - Archéologie des Sociétés Méditerranéennes, UMR 5140, CNRS, MCC, Univ Paul-ValéryInstituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (IIIPC), Universidad de Cantabria- Santander- Gobierno de CantabriaInstituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (IIIPC), Universidad de Cantabria- Santander- Gobierno de CantabriaAbstract As hunter-gatherers, neandertal groups were mobile, moving within their territory based on the availability of targeted resources. Their mobility was an integral part of their subsistence strategies. Level D of the Axlor site is an ideal assemblage for reconstructing human habitats and seasonal mobility, as the accumulation of animal carcasses is predominantly of anthropogenic origin. The study of dental remains shows that 99.3% of the remains belong to herbivores. The most common taxa are red deer, Iberian ibex, and steppe bison. Also present are horse, roe deer, chamois and narrow-nosed rhinoceros. The analysis of herbivore diets, using dental mesowear and microwear, indicates that regional and local habitats were dominated by dicots, corresponding to heathlands or forests with some grassy areas. In this context, bison were reconstructed as predominantly grazers while the other herbivorous taxa were mainly browsers. Estimates of mortality periods and duration show that the site was occupied in the warm season, either for long or short repeated stays. Wild goats were hunted throughout the warm season, supplemented by horses and red deer in summer and autumn, and bison in spring and autumn, with occasional predation on chamois, roe deer and rhinoceros. The site was probably geographically located at the intersection of the seasonal movements of several ungulate species, especially in autumn. The ecological characteristics of Axlor Level D were therefore particularly favourable for the procurement of animal-derived resources by Neandertals.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08314-6SeasonalityQuinaDental microwearDental mesowearTooth eruption patternMiddle Palaeolithic |
| spellingShingle | Antigone Uzunidis Audrey Roussel Jesús González-Urquijo Talía Lazuen Neandertal predation agenda reveals seasonal strategies during MIS 5–4 transition in Axlor, northatlantic Iberia Scientific Reports Seasonality Quina Dental microwear Dental mesowear Tooth eruption pattern Middle Palaeolithic |
| title | Neandertal predation agenda reveals seasonal strategies during MIS 5–4 transition in Axlor, northatlantic Iberia |
| title_full | Neandertal predation agenda reveals seasonal strategies during MIS 5–4 transition in Axlor, northatlantic Iberia |
| title_fullStr | Neandertal predation agenda reveals seasonal strategies during MIS 5–4 transition in Axlor, northatlantic Iberia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Neandertal predation agenda reveals seasonal strategies during MIS 5–4 transition in Axlor, northatlantic Iberia |
| title_short | Neandertal predation agenda reveals seasonal strategies during MIS 5–4 transition in Axlor, northatlantic Iberia |
| title_sort | neandertal predation agenda reveals seasonal strategies during mis 5 4 transition in axlor northatlantic iberia |
| topic | Seasonality Quina Dental microwear Dental mesowear Tooth eruption pattern Middle Palaeolithic |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-08314-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT antigoneuzunidis neandertalpredationagendarevealsseasonalstrategiesduringmis54transitioninaxlornorthatlanticiberia AT audreyroussel neandertalpredationagendarevealsseasonalstrategiesduringmis54transitioninaxlornorthatlanticiberia AT jesusgonzalezurquijo neandertalpredationagendarevealsseasonalstrategiesduringmis54transitioninaxlornorthatlanticiberia AT talialazuen neandertalpredationagendarevealsseasonalstrategiesduringmis54transitioninaxlornorthatlanticiberia |