Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Biscay, Spain
Humans were making tools from whale bones as far back as 20,000 years ago, according to a study conducted by scientists from the ICTA-UAB, the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), and the University of British Columbia. This discovery broadens our understanding of early human use of whale remains and offers valuable insight into the marine ecology of the time.
Excavation director: Christian Normand
The research, led by Jean-Marc Pétillon (CNRS) along with ICTA-UAB scientist Krista McGrath and published in Nature Communications, analyzes 83 bone tools excavated from sites around the Bay of Biscay in Spain, along with 90 additional bones from Santa Catalina Cave, also located in the province of Biscay. The authors used mass spectrometry and radiocarbon dating to identify the species and age of the samples.
Excavation director (to be credited): Eduardo Berganza
“Our study reveals that the bones came from at least five species of large whales, the oldest of which date to approximately 19,000–20,000 years ago. These represent some of the earliest known evidence of humans using whale remains as tools”, says Jean-Marc Pétillon, senior author of the research.
According to Krista McGrath, leading author of the paper, “ZooMS is a powerful technique for investigating past sea mammal diversity, particularly when diagnostic morphometric elements are missing from bone remains and objects, which is often the case for bone artefacts. We managed to identify species such as sperm whales, fin whales, blue whales, all still present in the Bay of Biscay today, as well as grey whales, a species now mostly restricted to the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans”.
In addition, chemical data extracted from the bones suggest that the feeding habits of these ancient whales differed slightly from those of their modern counterparts, pointing to potential changes in behavior or the marine environment. Overall, this discovery not only enhances our understanding of early human use of whale remains but also sheds light on the role whales played in past ecosystems.
