Archaeologists have uncovered the first ever Neanderthal footprints on the southwestern coast of Portugal. Dating back to around 82,000 to 78,000 years ago, the imprints reveal how ancient humans hunted, interacted with the environment, and and walked through sand dunes. They also provide insights into the Neanderthals diet, social behaviour, and how they adapted to coastal ecosystems, according to the study published in Scientific Reports.
The footprints were found at sites in Monte Clérigo and Praia do Telheiro, preserved in fossilised sandstone. The Monte Clérigo site included footprints from an adult, a child between seven and nine, and a toddler under two. They showed how the Neanderthals navigated dune landscapes, suggesting that they planned routes and used these environments for hunting.
The toddler’s footprint was not fully developed and lacked the arch modern humans have, confirming what is already known about Neanderthals and how they’re similar to ours in early childhood.
It also revealed that Neanderthals lived in small family groups, with children accompanying their parents in daily activities and learning how to survive.
Animal footprints were also uncovered at the site, including from deer, which suggests that Neanderthals used the area for hunting.
The study says: “The dunes, with their uneven terrain and sparse vegetation, were ideal places for stalking prey.”
At Praia do Telheiro, only one print was found – from a teenager or young woman – cofirming Neanderthals were in the area during the Pleistocene epoch, which lasted from about 2.58 million to 11,700 years ago.
The early humans lived near the sea and utilised the resources it offered, though their diet mainly consisted of herbivores such as deer, horses, aurochs (an extinct species of bovine), and hares.
The study authors wrote: “The constant presence of these mammals highlights their role as reliable food sources, regardless of the various environments Neanderthals inhabited.”
