Archaeologists have discovered two Neanderthals tracksites in the southwestern most region of Europe: at Monte Clérigo, dated to 78,000 years ago, trackways of three individuals demonstrate how Neanderthals navigated dune landscapes; these behaviors suggest route planning, with dune systems serving as advantageous settings for ambush hunting or stalking prey; a single footprint at the site of Praia do Telheiro sustains the presence of Neanderthals in the dune ecosystem 82,000 years ago.
Reconstituted scenario of Monte Clérigo tracksite, generated by AI tools following the guidance. Image credit: J.M. Galán / AI.
“Footprints record a specific moment, almost instantaneously, allowing us to reconstruct what was happening; for example, a group walk, a chase, a flight, or presence in a particular landscape,” said Dr. Carlos Neto de Carvalho, a researcher at the Geology Office of the Municipality of Idanha-a-Nova and the University of Lisbon, and his colleagues.
“The footprints show how Neanderthals used space, how they explored coastal environments, forests, dunes or riverbanks, something that is difficult to infer solely from artefacts.”
The archaeologists discovered the Neanderthal footprints at two different locations: Praia do Monte Clérigo and Praia do Telheiro.
At Monte Clérigo, 5 tracks and 26 footprints were left by adults and children just over a year old on a steep slope of what was once a coastal dune.
At Praia do Telheiro, an isolated footprint was left by a teenager or adult female in association with bird footprints typical of coastal and rocky environments.
“Through the number, size and arrangement of the footprints, it is possible to infer the minimum number of individuals present, their age range (children, adolescents, adults) or the possible division of tasks (e.g. a hunting party),” the researchers said.
“Children and babies, who rarely leave archaeological traces, can be identified by their footprints (which are smaller), revealing more about the social structure.”
“Footprints offer a unique and dynamic window into everyday behavior — a snapshot of life tens of thousands of years ago.”
General view of the main tracksite with hominin trackways located in the northern cliff of Monte Clérigo beach, Portugal. Image credit: de Carvalho et al., doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-06089-4.
The footprints studied by the team indicate locomotion strategies adapted to the terrain, suggesting route planning, proximity to the camp, possible hunting behavior and coexistence with other species.
For example, one of the tracks shows the interaction between human footprints and those of a deer produced simultaneously, reinforcing the hypothesis of pursuit or ambush practices in a dune context.
The findings also confirm that the Neanderthal diet in this region consisted mainly of deer, horses and hares, complemented by marine and coastal resources, indicating a diversified dietary strategy.
“The consistent presence of these mammal species highlights their role as reliable food sources, irrespective of the varying environments inhabited by Neanderthals,” the scientists said.
“In addition, the Neanderthal diet also incorporated animals from neighboring littoral habitats, indicating a broad foraging strategy that capitalized on local biodiversity.”
The team’s paper was published July 3 in the journal Scientific Reports.
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C.N. de Carvalho et al. 2025. Neanderthal coasteering and the first Portuguese hominin tracksites. Sci Rep 15, 23785; doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-06089-4
