Hunter-Gatherers in Bay of Biscay Crafted Tools from Whale Bones 20,000 Years Ago
A projectile point, made from the bone of a grey whale, from the Duruthy rock shelter in Landes, France
Alexandre Lefebvre
Hunter-gatherers living along the shores of the Bay of Biscay crafted hunting tools from the bones of at least five different whale species 20,000 years ago, marking the oldest evidence of manufacturing objects from whale remains.
Research indicates that while Neanderthals in southern Spain were known to gather and consume molluscs around 150,000 years ago, it wasn’t until approximately 19,000 years ago that ancient humans began utilizing coastal resources for both sustenance and raw materials.
