The pursuit of the now-extinct straight-tusked elephant, Palaeoloxodon antiquus, was a widespread practice among Neanderthals, as revealed by a research collaboration involving Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA), based in Mainz, and Leiden University in the Netherlands. Recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study focused on the analysis of approximately 125,000-year-old elephant bones discovered in Gröbern in Saxony-Anhalt and Taubach in Thuringia, Germany.
Examination of these ancient bones uncovered cut marks indicative of butchering activities using stone tools by Neanderthals, suggesting that the straight-tusked elephants were not only hunted but also extensively processed. This builds upon a previous discovery by the same team at the Neumark-Nord site, which marked the first evidence of Neanderthals actively hunting these massive creatures, as reported in Science Advances in early 2023.
Professor Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser, specializing in Prehistoric and Protohistoric Archaeology at JGU and Director of the Archaeological Research Center and Museum of Human Behavioral Evolution MONREPOS, emphasized that the recent findings imply that Neanderthal hunting of these elephants was not an isolated incident but likely a regular activity.
Palaeoloxodon antiquus, which inhabited Europe and Western Asia 800,000 to 100,000 years ago, stood out as the largest land-living animal of the Pleistocene. With shoulder heights reaching up to 4 meters and weights of up to 13 tons, it surpassed contemporary African and Asian elephants and even the extinct woolly mammoth.
Gaudzinski-Windheuser highlighted the nutritional significance of these elephants, estimating that the meat and fat from an adult Palaeoloxodon antiquus bull could sustain the daily calorie intake of at least 2,500 adult Neanderthals. This insight challenges previous assumptions about Neanderthal group sizes, suggesting the possibility of larger, temporary gatherings or advanced food preservation techniques.
The study prompts further investigation into Neanderthal hunting techniques for these colossal elephants and the broader impact on prey animals and ecosystems. A follow-up project aims to uncover more details about the strategies employed by Neanderthals in their interaction with these formidable creatures and their environments.