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Cited by 275Pleistocene-Era Hominins and ArchaeologyArchaeological and Geological StudiesArchaeology and Rock Art Studies

Evidence for Neandertal Jewelry: Modified White-Tailed Eagle Claws at Krapina

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Radovčić, Davorka, Sršen, Ankica Oros, Radovčić, Jakov, Frayer, David W.·2015·PLOS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0119802PMC PMC4356571
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Abstract

We describe eight, mostly complete white-tailed eagle (Haliaëtus [Haliaeetus] albicilla) talons from the Krapina Neandertal site in present-day Croatia, dating to approximately 130 kyrs ago. Four talons bear multiple, edge-smoothed cut marks; eight show polishing facets and/or abrasion. Three of the largest talons have small notches at roughly the same place along the plantar surface, interrupting the proximal margin of the talon blade. These features suggest they were part of a jewelry assemblage, --- the manipulations a consequence of mounting the talons in a necklace or bracelet. An associated phalanx articulates with one of the talons and has numerous cut marks, some of which are smoothed. These white-tailed eagle bones, discovered more than 100 years ago, all derive from a single level at Krapina and represent more talons than found in the entire European Mousterian period. Presence of eight talons indicates that the Krapina Neandertals acquired and curated eagle talons for some kind of symbolic purpose. Some have argued that Neandertals lacked symbolic ability or copied this behavior from modern humans. These remains clearly show that the Krapina Neandertals made jewelry well before the appearance of modern humans in Europe, extending ornament production and symbolic activity early into the European Mousterian.

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  • Recognised complexity within Neanderthal societies with distinct cultural and symbolic traditions illustrates a hominin that is more behaviourally similar to our own species.

    “In addition, the recognised complexity within Neanderthal societies with distinct cultural and symbolic traditions697071 illustrates a hominin that is more behaviourally similar to our own species.”

    From Assessing the calorific significance of episodes of human cannibalism in the Palaeolithic (2017) · cites this paper as [70]

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Authors
Radovčić, D., Sršen, A. O., Radovčić, J., & Frayer, D. W.
Affiliations
  • Croatian Natural History Museum (HR)
  • Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts (HR)
  • University of Kansas (US)
Corresponding author
Frayer, David W.
ORCID
Venue
PLOS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2015-03-11
Volume
10
Issue
3
Pages
e0119802
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0119802
PMC
PMC4356571
OpenAlex
W1989452740
Cited by
275
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 43 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 11
FWCI
113.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • KU ScholarWorks (University of Kansas) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Archaeological and Geological Studies
  • Social Sciences › Archeology › Archaeology and Rock Art Studies
Keywords
white-tailed eagle, Talon, Krapina, cut marks, symbolic behavior, Mousterian, ornamentation, phalanx
MeSH terms
Animals, Anthropology, Cultural, Archaeology, Fossils, Hoof and Claw, Croatia, Eagles, Neanderthals

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