Recent discoveries from Germany indicate that Neanderthals were acquiring European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis) approximately 125,000 years ago, with evidence suggesting their shells were primarily utilized as implements rather than for their limited nutritional contribution.
Professor Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser, affiliated with MONREPOS and Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, along with her associates, stated, “In recent times, the breadth of dietary options available to Neanderthals has been extensively documented, underscoring their remarkable adaptability to various environments and their flexible subsistence strategies, which showed significant parallels with the foraging behaviors of Upper Paleolithic Homo sapiens.”
“In addition to the commonly recognized procurement of medium-to-large sized fauna, such as horses, bovids, and deer, a wide array of smaller creatures, including leporids, avian species, and reptiles, has been integrated into the Neanderthal culinary spectrum. At the extreme end of their prey spectrum were the formidable straight-tusked elephants (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), some weighing as much as 13.5 tons.”
“Furthermore, substantiation for the consumption of both freshwater and marine resources, encompassing mollusks and crustaceans, has been observed across the Mediterranean region and the southwestern Iberian Peninsula.”
In their latest investigation, the research team meticulously analyzed fragments of turtle shells dating back 125,000 years, unearthed from the globally recognized Paleolithic excavation site of Neumark-Nord, situated in present-day Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Employing advanced methodologies, including high-fidelity three-dimensional scanning, the scientists detected numerous instances of cut marks on the interior surfaces of 92 shell fragments. These markings unequivocally demonstrate that the turtles underwent deliberate processing by Neanderthals, a procedure involving the detachment of limbs, extrication of internal organs, and thorough cleansing of the shells.
Professor Gaudzinski-Windheuser commented, “Our findings provide the inaugural evidence of Neanderthals hunting and processing turtles in regions north of the Alps, extending beyond the Mediterranean sphere of influence.”
The researchers posit that the European pond turtles were not primarily sought after as a food commodity.
Professor Gaudzinski-Windheuser elaborated, “This conclusion is highly probable, given the substantial presence of remains from large, calorically rich prey species at this locale. A substantial caloric surplus was almost certainly available.”
“Weighing approximately one kilogram, pond turtles offer a comparatively modest nutritional return.”
“Conversely, their relative ease of capture might suggest they were hunted by younger individuals. Their shells could have subsequently been repurposed into rudimentary tools.”
“Alternative hypotheses include their pursuit for palatability or for perceived medicinal properties, a notion supported by ethnographic accounts of later indigenous populations.”
“Our current findings contribute significant new insights into the ecological versatility and sophisticated survival strategies of Neanderthals, which extended beyond a simple pursuit of maximum caloric intake.”
The collective findings of the research team were disseminated today within the esteemed journal, Scientific Reports.
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S. Gaudzinski-Windheuser et al. 2026. Shell game: Neanderthal use of the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) in the Last Interglacial landscape of Neumark-Nord (Germany). Sci Rep 16, 8628; doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-42113-x
