Rabbit exploitation in the Middle Paleolithic at Gruta Nova da Columbeira, Portugal

Subsistence differences between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans may suggest key behavioral changes during the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition. In this paper, we present zooarchaeological and stable isotopic analyses of Oryctolagus cuniculus (European wild rabbit) remains from levels 6, 7, 8 and 9 in addition to new dates of Gruta Nova da Columbeira, a Mousterian cave site located in central Portugal. We use these data to explore two alternative hypotheses: 1. Anatomically modern humans gained a competitive advantage over Neanderthals by exploiting a broader-spectrum diet including small prey items such as the rabbit and 2. Neanderthals already on occasion practiced a broad spectrum diet in at least some locations. Using an interdisciplinary approach to the study of an older collection, this study suggests Neanderthals incorporated Oryctogalus as a small component of their diet at Gruta Nova de Columbeira.