The traditional image of Neanderthals as hunters focused solely on massive Ice Age beasts is being steadily overturned by new archaeological discoveries. A study published in Scientific Reports on April 8, 2026, now provides the first evidence that Neanderthals in Central Europe also hunted and processed European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis) around 125,000 years ago. Intriguingly, the researchers believe these turtles were not caught primarily for their meat, but rather for their shells, which may have been repurposed as containers or scooping implements.
The international research team, led by Professor Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser of the Institute for Ancient Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz and the Archaeological Research Centre and Museum for Human Behavioural Evolution (MONREPOS/LEIZA), examined turtle shell fragments from the world-renowned Palaeolithic site of Neumark-Nord 2 in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Using high-resolution 3D scanning, they identified cut marks on the inner surfaces of 92 shell fragments, confirming that the animals were carefully butchered, with limbs detached, internal organs removed, and shells thoroughly cleaned.
"Our data provide the first evidence that Neanderthals also hunted and processed turtles north of the Alps, beyond the Mediterranean region," said Gaudzinski-Windheuser.
A Site Rich in Prey
The Neumark-Nord site, located in a former open-cast lignite mining area, has yielded well over one hundred thousand animal bones and bone fragments, making it one of the most significant Palaeolithic sites in Europe. Among the remains are bones from deer, cattle, and horses, as well as from the largest land mammal of the time - the European straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), which could weigh more than ten tonnes. In 2025, the same research team reported that Neanderthals at this site had operated a kind of "fat factory," systematically extracting fat from the bones of large mammals to build up caloric reserves.
- Neanderthals Hunted Elephants Twice the Weight of Mammoths
- Neanderthal "Fat Factories" Reveal Smart Calorie Strategies
Painting of a straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) during the early temperate period of the Eemian interglacial, the warm period during which Neanderthals hunted turtles at Neumark-Nord. (Brennan Stokkermans / CC BY 4.0)
Given this abundance of high-calorie prey, the researchers are confident that the turtles were not hunted for food. "We can virtually rule this out given the abundance of remains from large, high-yield prey animals at this site. There was in all likelihood a complete caloric surplus," said Gaudzinski-Windheuser. The European pond turtle weighs around one kilogram and offers comparatively little meat — a poor return on effort when straight-tusked elephants and horses were readily available in the warm, lush Eemian interglacial landscape of Central Europe.
Shells as Tools, and Perhaps Hunted by Children
So why were the turtles being caught and carefully butchered? The researchers propose that the cleaned carapace halves were repurposed as small containers or scoop-like implements — essentially prehistoric ladles or bowls. The careful distribution of cut marks on the inner surfaces of the shells strongly supports this interpretation. "The careful cleaning of the carapace halves, which we infer from the distribution of the cut marks, could indicate that they were used as containers or for other purposes," the team explained.
A European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) next to the foot of a European straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), illustrating what the scenery at Neumark-Nord may have looked like 125,000 years ago. (Nicole Viehofer / MONREPOS – LEIZA)
Another compelling suggestion from the team is that the turtles may have been hunted by Neanderthal children. Because pond turtles are slow-moving and easy to catch, they would have been ideal prey for younger members of the group who were still developing their hunting skills. "They are relatively easy to catch and may therefore have been hunted by children. Their shells may then have been processed into tools," said Gaudzinski-Windheuser. This idea aligns with growing evidence that Neanderthal children engaged in activities that went beyond simple play, contributing to the group's resource base in meaningful ways.
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Expanding Our Understanding of Neanderthal Behavior
The findings add another dimension to the already complex picture of Neanderthal life. Previous studies have documented Neanderthal turtle consumption in Mediterranean regions, including Iberia and the Levant, but this is the first time such behavior has been confirmed north of the Alps. The fact that Neanderthals at Neumark-Nord were exploiting turtles not for calories but potentially for their utility as tools speaks to a level of resourcefulness and planning that goes well beyond simple survival instincts.
The researchers also raise the possibility that turtles were hunted for their taste or for an assumed medicinal value, a suggestion supported by ethnographic findings from studies of later indigenous peoples around the world who similarly valued turtles for non-nutritional reasons. "Our current results shed new light on the ecological flexibility and complex survival strategies of Neanderthals, which went far beyond simple caloric maximization," said Gaudzinski-Windheuser. The study is the latest in a series of ongoing analyses of material from Neumark-Nord, carried out jointly by MONREPOS/LEIZA, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and Leiden University, with support from the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt.
As each new study from this remarkable site emerges, the Neanderthals of Central Europe reveal themselves to be ever more sophisticated — hunters, planners, and craftspeople who understood their environment with a depth and nuance that continues to surprise researchers. The humble pond turtle, it seems, played a small but telling role in that story.
Top image: Representation of Neanderthal man and children at a pond hunting turtles. Source: AI generated.
By Gary Manners
References
Gaudzinski-Windheuser, S. et al. 2026. Shell game: Neanderthal use of the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) in the Last Interglacial landscape of Neumark-Nord (Germany). Scientific Reports 16: 8628. Available at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-42113-x
Informationsdienst Wissenschaft (IDW). 2026. Neanderthals in Central Europe hunted pond turtles. Available at: https://idw-online.de/en/news868859
Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Press Release). 2026. Neanderthals in Central Europe hunted pond turtles. Available at: https://press.uni-mainz.de/neanderthals-in-central-europe-hunted-pond-turtles/
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