In 1948, a team of amateur archaeologists led by a local headmaster in Lehringen, Germany, made a groundbreaking discovery. They unearthed the skeleton of a straight-tusked elephant—Europe’s largest land mammal from the last interglacial period, about 125,000 years ago—in sediments near a former lake. Among the bones, the team found a surprising artifact: a complete wooden spear lodged between the ribs of the elephant. Initially, this find was interpreted as either direct evidence of Neanderthal hunting or a coincidental placement of bones and spear.
Decades later, a detailed investigation led by researchers from the University of Göttingen and the Lower Saxony State Office for Heritage (NLD) re-examined the site. Their analysis, published in Scientific Reports, revealed numerous cut marks on the ribs and vertebrae of the elephant, providing compelling evidence that Neanderthals butchered the animal on-site. The presence of these cut marks indicates that the Neanderthals actively processed the carcass, likely to access the meat, organs, and fats.
The location of the butchering marks on the ribs suggests that Neanderthals cut open the elephant’s chest cavity to extract vital organs, which would have provided a substantial and nutritious food source. The elephant, estimated to be about 30 years old and weighing roughly 3,500 kilograms, would have supplied a large group with meat, organs, and fat, supporting their survival for an extended period.
This discovery challenges previous assumptions and highlights the complexity of Neanderthal behavior. The site also contained plant remains and approximately 2,000 bones from 16 different animal species, including fish, birds, and turtles, indicating that their diet was diverse and that they exploited multiple food sources from the lakeshore environment.
Further evidence from the site pointed to the butchering of an aurochs—an extinct ancestor of wild cattle—whose bones displayed cut and impact marks, suggesting that Neanderthals also targeted this large, potentially dangerous animal for meat. Bones of brown bears showed signs of marrow extraction, while beaver bones bore marks indicating the use of both meat and fur.
Lead researcher Ivo Verheijen emphasized that these findings offer a new perspective on Neanderthal subsistence strategies. “It appears that Neanderthals in Lehringen spent significant time at the lake, employing diverse hunting and butchering techniques,” he stated. “They valued not only large quantities of meat but also bone marrow and fur, which would have been essential for their survival.”
The study underscores the advanced hunting skills of Neanderthals, who used wooden weapons and demonstrated cooperative behavior similar to that of early modern humans around 125,000 years ago. While primarily meat-eaters, researchers believe Neanderthals also exploited fish, shellfish, and plant resources available at the lakeshore.
Professor Thomas Terberger from the NLD and Göttingen University praised the significance of these findings: “The discoveries made in 1948, under difficult conditions, are now recognized as crucial evidence showing that Neanderthals hunted strategically and skillfully, challenging outdated notions of their capabilities.”
This research not only redefines our understanding of Neanderthal adaptation and resourcefulness but also highlights their sophisticated use of the environment for hunting, butchering, and survival—traits once thought to be exclusive to modern humans.