Whales are the largest mammals on Earth and have been living alongside us for millennia. These majestic sea creatures play an especially important role for humans, both modern and ancient, who live in coastal regions. Thanks to an international team of scientists, we now know that coastal hunter-gatherer groups have been using whale bones for practical purposes for 20,000 years.

A new study, published in Nature Communications, reveals that the oldest whale bone tools have been discovered in Europe. The discovery of these tools will help scientists understand more about the human-whale relationship and offer new insights into ancient marine ecology.

“Our study reveals that the bones came from at least five species of large whales, the oldest of which date to approximately 19,000 to 20,000 years ago. These represent some of the earliest known evidence of humans using whale remains as tools,” said Jean-Marc Pétillon, senior author of the research, in a press release.

Read More: Hominins Made Bone Tools 1.5 Million Years Ago, Hinting At Abstract Thought

Whale Bone Tools 

This new find is particularly exciting due to the rarity of evidence for human-whale interactions. These interactions take place in coastal communities, which are susceptible to degradation over time because of rising sea levels and other environmental conditions. Although humans depended on whales for things like food and oil, it is difficult to find preserved archaeological traces of this relationship. 

For this study, scientists were able to find over 150 whale bone tools and fragments at sites around the Bay of Biscay in Spain. Using a combination of zooarchaeology, mass spectrometry, and radiocarbon dating, the team was able to reveal some incredible details.

Along with being the oldest evidence of humans turning whale bones into tools, researchers also identified information about the collection and transportation of these materials. The whale bones being used were not always collected fresh and often came from carcasses that were decades old. The tools, often weapon-related, would also have been made at the same site where the bones were collected.

There were also some surprising finds at more inland hunter-gatherer sites. Fragments of whale bones appeared at these inland sites in small and unworked pieces. Scientists theorize that these pieces may have been brought inland to use in hearths or to collect oil by dripping or crushing. 

Additionally, these inland sites were 2 to 3 miles away and up a steep 230-foot cliff from where the whale bones would be harvested, meaning that ancient humans would have to transport the bones across long and difficult terrain. 

Understanding Ancient Ecology

The scientific methods and techniques used to analyze the whale bones not only reveal insights into human behavior, but also into whale behavior and the marine ecology of the area, as well.

“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,” said Krista McGrath, leading author of the paper, in the press release. “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.”

Additionally, an analysis of chemical data from the bones shows that the feeding habits of ancient whales were different from those of modern whales. 

These insights allow researchers a better understanding of the role whales played in ancient ecosystems and how the marine environment around them has changed. It also shows more evidence that certain types of whales were more abundant in the area prior to human exploitation and ecological changes.

Read More: 4 Ways Whales Show They are Highly Intelligent Creatures

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As the marketing coordinator at Discover Magazine, Stephanie Edwards interacts with readers across Discover’s social media channels and writes digital content. Offline, she is a contract lecturer in English & Cultural Studies at Lakehead University, teaching courses on everything from professional communication to Taylor Swift, and received her graduate degrees in the same department from McMaster University. You can find more of her science writing in Lab Manager and her short fiction in anthologies and literary magazine across the horror genre.