Recent research has uncovered compelling evidence indicating that early humans in Western Europe crafted tools from whale bones along the Atlantic shoreline between 20,000 and 14,000 years ago. This significant finding, reported on May 27 in Nature Communications, highlights the archaeological importance of whale bone tools discovered across various sites, spanning from northwestern Spain to southwestern France. Archaeologists, led by Jean-Marc Pétillon from the University of Toulouse Jean Jaurès, suggest these implements represent the oldest known examples of tools made from whale bone. In stark contrast, similar tools found in the South Pacific are considerably younger, dating only a few thousand years back.
Field studies show that early humans relied on the resources available on the shoreline. Seaside scavengers collected bones from at least five different whale species that had washed ashore. The research indicates that among the whale bone tools, spear points and spear shafts were the primary artifacts. Notably, evidence from a cave in Spain reveals that whale bones were deliberately broken to extract fatty oils that were essential for the sustenance of Stone Age diets. The remains from this site indicated two whales dated approximately 15,500 and 15,000 years ago, respectively, underscoring the dietary exploitation of marine resources.
The study enhances our understanding of dietary practices among early humans. Despite various environmental challenges, such as rising sea levels that submerged ancient seashore sites, evidence shows that both African Homo sapiens and European Neandertals consumed a diverse array of seafood. This latest research offers further insight into the patterns of interaction these groups had with coastal environments. Pétillon emphasizes that Late Paleolithic humans were not only adept at hunting and gathering but also routinely utilized maritime resources, signifying a notable aspect of their subsistence strategies.
To arrive at these conclusions, the research team thoroughly analyzed protein sequences derived from 83 bone implements located at 26 distinct archaeological sites and from 90 bone fragments discovered in a coastal cave. The results revealed a diverse range of marine species from which the tools and fragments originated, including sperm whales, fin whales, blue whales, gray whales, and either right whales or bowhead whales, illustrating the varied marine environments that these early humans exploited. However, it is important to note that protein analysis could not differentiate between the latter two species.
In chronological terms, radiocarbon dating of the whale bone artifacts places many of them between 17,500 and 16,000 years ago, a peak period for trade in such implements in the region. Surprisingly, very few tools were identified as older than 16,000 years. This timeline suggests a complex social and functional network among the hunter-gatherers of that era as they navigated resource availability and technology.
While whale strandings along the seashore may have been relatively rare, the implications of this research infer that organized scavenging endeavors among even small groups of hunter-gatherers could have prompted rapid responses to such events. It highlights the adaptability and ingenuity of these early humans, who utilized natural resources effectively for their survival, shedding light on the critical role of coastal ecosystems in human evolution and lifestyle during the Late Paleolithic period.
