Analysis of chemical signatures embedded within the molar structures of straight-tusked elephants (Palaeoloxodon antiquus), originating from the 125,000-year-old Neumark-Nord excavation in Germany, indicates that these colossal creatures undertook migrations spanning hundreds of kilometers. Furthermore, the evidence intimates that Neanderthals might have intentionally targeted and hunted these animals at this specific locale.
Straight-tusked elephants (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) constituted the most substantial terrestrial fauna during the European Pleistocene epoch. Image attribution: Hodari Nundu, CC-BY-4.0.
“The straight-tusked elephant represented a hallmark species within the European Pleistocene interglacial biome, coexisting with Neanderthals during the more temperate phases of the Middle and Late Pleistocene,” stated Dr. Elena Armaroli, a postdoctoral researcher affiliated with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in collaboration with her colleagues.
“Its significance as a crucial resource for hominin populations has been recognized for a considerable duration, with archaeological discoveries attesting to the utilization of elephants by Neanderthals for sustenance and their skeletal remains for the fabrication of implements across the European continent.”
“Up until a recent juncture, definitive proof substantiating that the straight-tusked elephant was actively pursued through hunting, as opposed to being merely scavenged, remained exceptionally limited and subject to considerable deliberation.”
Within the scope of the current investigation, the research team undertook a comprehensive examination of the molars belonging to four distinct straight-tusked elephants unearthed at the Neumark-Nord site, situated in northeastern Germany.
Employing strontium isotope analysis along the accretionary lines of the teeth, it was ascertained that these animals had inhabited diverse European territories over the course of several years.
“The application of isotope analyses has empowered us to meticulously track the migratory patterns of these elephants, akin to deciphering a prehistoric travel log preserved within their dentition for over a hundred millennia,” Dr. Armaroli elaborated.
“It is evident from our findings that some of the elephants under study were not sedentary, confining their existence to a singular locale,” remarked Dr. Federico Lugli, also of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.
“Their dentition reveals a history of traversing extensive distances, covering up to 300 kilometers, prior to their eventual presence at the site now identified as Neumark-Nord.”
“This capacity for long-distance movement enables us to reconstruct their habitual territories and gain profound insights into how these magnificent creatures navigated and utilized the ancient Cenozoic landscape.”
The researchers were also successful in determining the biological sex of the four elephants, identifying three males and one female among the specimens.
A notable divergence in isotope signatures was observed in two of the male elephants, a characteristic that significantly deviates from the expected values for the local geological substrate in the vicinity of Neumark-Nord.
This disparity strongly suggests that the male elephants, mirroring the behavioral tendencies of their modern counterparts, exhibited a propensity for roaming across more expansive geographical ranges compared to the female individuals.
“The aggregate presence of remains at this site, coupled with the distinctive isotopic profiles of these animals, strongly implicates that Neanderthals did not simply predicate their elephant procurement on fortuitous encounters,” Dr. Armaroli posited.
“All indicators collectively point towards a scenario involving highly organized hunting expeditions, wherein even such formidable and massive prey animals were deliberately targeted.”
“Such a sophisticated undertaking would have necessitated a profound understanding of the terrain, a high degree of inter-group coordination, and meticulous strategic planning on the part of the Neanderthals.”
“This groundbreaking study also represents a significant methodological advancement,” Dr. Lugli commented.
“For the inaugural time, the discipline of paleoproteomics has been successfully applied to the study of European straight-tusked elephants, thereby furnishing us with the capability to ascertain the sex of individual specimens based on the residual proteins sequestered within their tooth enamel.”
The results of this pioneering research were disseminated on March 13th through the esteemed academic journal Science Advances.
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Elena Armaroli et al. 2026. Life histories of straight-tusked elephants from the Last Interglacial Neanderthal site of Neumark-Nord (~125 ka). Science Advances 12 (11); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adz0114
