Convergent evidence of eagle talons used by late Neanderthals in Europe: a further assessment on symbolism.

Matteo Romandini,Laure Metz,Véronique Laroulandie,Andreas Pastoors,Marco Peresani,Ludovic Slimak,Manuel Vaquero,Michael D Petraglia

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0101278

Abstract

To contribute to have a better understanding of the symbolic or not use of certain items by Neanderthals, this work presents new evidence of the deliberate removal of raptor claws occurred in Mediterranean Europe during the recent phases of the Mousterian. Rio Secco Cave in the north-east of Italy and Mandrin Cave in the Middle Rhône valley have recently produced two golden eagle pedal phalanges from contexts not younger than 49.1–48.0 ky cal BP at Rio Secco and dated around 50.0 ky cal BP at Mandrin. The bones show cut-marks located on the proximal end ascribable to the cutting of the tendons and the incision of the cortical organic tissues. Also supported by an experimental removal of large raptor claws, our reconstruction explains that the deliberate detachment occurred without damaging the claw, in a way comparable at a general level with other Mousterian contexts across Europe. After excluding that these specimens met the nutritional requirements for human subsistence, we discuss the possible implications these findings perform in our current knowledge of the European Middle Palaeolithic context.

Highlights

Evidence of interactions between large raptors and hominins is very scanty if not ephemeral
The discovery of two further raptor pedal phalanges in addition to those already known in the Middle Palaeolithic of Europe stimulates discussion on various aspects of Neanderthal behavior related to the acquisition, processing and the intended use of these avian elements
Few contributions attest that the predation of birds was practiced since the Early Middle Pleistocene and that this predation was directed towards edible species, with clear evidence of consumption in Mediterranean Europe in Gran Dolina cave TD10 and Bolomor cave layers XVII, XII, XI, IV [43,44,45,46]

Summary

Introduction

Evidence of interactions between large raptors and hominins is very scanty if not ephemeral. Isolated pedal phalanges of golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), Cinereous Vulture (Aegypius monachus), an indeterminate medium-size raptor, as well as swan (Cygnus cygnus) have been found in France at Pech de l’Aze I [4,5], Baume de Gigny [6], Pech de l’Aze IV [7,8], Combe-Grenal and Les Fieux [9] and, again, at Grotta di Fumane [10], in different periods, from about 100 ky BP to 44–45 kyBP, revealing a certain convergence of such selections (Figure 1) These posterior phalanges bear disarticulation striae showing the successful removal of the claw from the toe using lithic tools. This interpretation of pedal phalanges’ use as pendants, suspended in isolation or still connected to the entire foot has been supported from the over-representation of raptor feet bones recorded for more recent periods of the Upper Palaeolithic at Meged [13] and Ohalo II [18]

Methods

Results

Conclusion