Although turtles weren’t Neanderthals’ number one option for a hearty meal, their shells may have come in handy as the perfect containers and ladles. Neanderthals hunted all kinds of animals across ancient Europe, filling their bellies with meat from mammals, birds, and reptiles. Their prey included the European pond turtle, but this species wasn’t necessarily a popular menu item for Neanderthals.
A new study published in Scientific Reports has found evidence suggesting that Neanderthals had clever uses for pond turtle shells at the Middle Paleolithic site of Neumark-Nord in Germany. They likely would’ve preferred not to eat them as snacks, but to make their shells into tools for holding and scooping things.
“With a weight of around one kilogram [2.2 pounds], pond turtles have a comparatively low nutritional value,” said Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser, an archaeologist at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, in a statement on the study. “However, they are relatively easy to catch and may therefore have been hunted by children. Their shells may then have been processed into tools.”
Turtle Hunting By Neanderthals
In the new study, researchers examined 92 shell fragments of the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis), deemed to be approximately 125,000 years old. With high-resolution 3D scanning, they were able to discern cut marks on 22 of the fragments, all on their inner surfaces. The majority of cuts were on the plastron (the lower part of a turtle shell), with fewer on the carapace (the upper part of a turtle shell).
The cut marks indicate that Neanderthals would’ve carefully butchered the turtles before detaching their limbs, removing their internal organs, and cleaning the shells.
The researchers clarify, however, that the turtles probably were not used as a food source by the Neanderthals living at Neumark-Nord.
“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.
Based on the cleaning of carapaces, the researchers infer that the real value of turtles was in their shells. There’s also the possibility that parts of the turtles could have been ingested for medical purposes, a practice documented in European historical records as recently as the 19th century.
Read More: Neanderthals Faced a Genetic Crisis During the Ice Age, Setting the Stage for Their Extinction
The Broad Diet of Neanderthals
While pond turtles may not have been on the menu at Neumark-Nord, plenty of other animals were. According to the researchers, well over 100,000 animal bones or bone fragments have been unearthed at the site, including ones from deer, cattle, and horses. The largest animal Neanderthals would’ve hunted was the straight-tusked elephant, an extinct species that frequented Neumark-Nord in the middle of their migrations across Europe.
But Neanderthals couldn’t always finish the meat they obtained from hunts — their solution was to run “fat factories.” With this practice — which was detailed in a July 2025 study published in Science Advances — they stashed surplus body parts and fatty bones from slain prey, which they would later extract grease from.
In addition to animals, both small and large, Neanderthals ate a variety of plants. Excavations have identified charred hazelnut, acorn, and blackthorn remains — overall, evidence from Neumark-Nord suggests that Neanderthals may have had access to more than 190 plant species at the site.
More Than a Meal
The new study marks the first time researchers have seen evidence of turtle hunting and processing by Neanderthals living north of the Alps. Neanderthals from the Mediterranean region, though, were already known to hunt turtles and tortoises.
Evidence of turtle and tortoise hunting by Neanderthals has previously been uncovered in the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, and the Levant; the land-dwelling Hermann’s tortoise (Testudo hermanni) was an especially favored target.
Meanwhile, at Neumark-Nord, Neanderthals’ hunting of pond turtles went beyond simply getting enough calories, the researchers conclude.
Read More: Turtles Can Sense Earth’s Magnetic Field — And Some Even Dance When They Feel It
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