Archaeologists have found evidence to suggest that Neanderthals were smarter than thought.
Research has found that Neanderthals were smarter than thought
Researchers from The Australian National University have been exploring the Abric Pizarro site near the Pyrenees mountains in Spain, which dates back 100,000 to 65,000 years to a period known as MIS 4.
Animal bones uncovered at the site showed that the cavemen planned meals based on the surrounding environment and developed tools specifically for the killing of large animals like bison.
The new evidence also shows that Neanderthals killed smaller animals such as rabbits, contrary to the belief that they only hunted larger creatures.
Dr Sofia Samper Carro, lead author of the research, said: "Our surprising findings at Abric Pizarro show how adaptable Neanderthals were.
"The animal bones we have recovered indicate that they were successfully exploiting the surrounding fauna, hunting red deer, horses and bison, but also eating freshwater turtles and rabbits, which imply a degree of planning rarely considered for Neanderthals."