In a cave nestled in northern Spain, archaeologists have unearthed an intriguing collection of marine fossils — 15 in total. These items, discovered in the Prado Vargas Cave, date back between 39,800 and 54,600 years ago and offer a rare glimpse into the lives of our ancient cousins, the Neanderthals. But what makes these fossils truly fascinating is their purpose — or, better said, their lack thereof.

These weren’t tools or ornaments — they appear to have been collected just for the heck of it, simply because Neanderthals found them interesting.

The fossils, largely mollusks and echinoderms, were found at a site with no known proximity to the sea. Researchers suggest they may have been collected by Neanderthal children, drawn to their striking shapes and patterns.

“These fossils can be understood as evidence of an artistic interest or an attraction or curiosity for the forms of nature,” the study authors explain. This behavior echoes the modern tendency of children to collect stickers, shells, or bottle caps.

An Unlikely Collection

At first glance, the 15 fossils recovered from the N4 level of Prado Vargas might seem ordinary — remnants of bivalves, gastropods, and echinoderms from the ancient seas. But their location in a cave at least 20 kilometers from their geological origin hints at a deeper story.

Researchers excavating the site also discovered artifacts and remains suggesting a stable camp. Flint tools, bones from deer and wild goats, and traces of fire paint a picture of Neanderthals adapting to their rugged environment.

“These fossils must have been brought by Neanderthals to the cave,” the study authors wrote, adding that their presence points to intentional collection rather than accidental accumulation.

The fossils range in size and type, from the smooth shells of Tylostoma to the spiny remains of Tetragramma variolare. Their pristine condition, untouched by tools or fire, suggests they were valued for their appearance rather than practical use. The researchers hypothesize that the fossils may have symbolized something — aesthetic beauty, cultural identity, or even intangible beliefs.

“These activities could have been motivated by numerous tangible and intangible causes, which suggest that collecting activities and the associated abstract thinking were present in Neanderthals before the arrival of modern humans,” the researchers noted in their study.

Evidence from other Neanderthal sites hints at a broader pattern. At Pech de l’Azé in France, a brachiopod fossil was discovered, transported more than 30 kilometers. In Hungary, spherical fossil shells from the Tata site were likely worn as ornaments. Across Europe, similar finds suggest Neanderthals were drawn to unusual objects for reasons beyond survival.

What Motivates a Collector

The collection at Prado Vargas challenges the long-held view of Neanderthals as purely utilitarian beings. It places them in a more complex light, suggesting that they, like us, had an eye for beauty and a desire to preserve it. The discovery raises tantalizing questions. Did these fossils represent status within their group? Were they tools of teaching, storytelling, or ritual?

One explanation is simple and relatable. People like to collect stuff just because they find something intrinsically interesting about them. And children are natural collectors thanks to their boundless curiosity. Among the remains in Prado Vargas, archaeologists found a milk tooth, which suggests Neanderthal children were certainly in the cave. Could the younger members of this group have gathered these fossils during foraging trips, drawn by their strange shapes and colors?

Or perhaps the fossils held symbolic value. Anthropologists have proposed that early humans used objects like these to connect with their environment or even to honor their ancestors. “They might have been objects of play,” the researchers suggest, “or may even have had a magical–religious role during ritual activities.”

The fossils of Prado Vargas add to a growing body of evidence that Neanderthals were capable of symbolic thinking. Across Europe, similar discoveries — a flint tool embedded with a fossil sponge in St. Acheul, a shell used as a pigment container in Spain’s Cueva de los Aviones — hint at a culture rich in meaning (and with a propensity for hoarding like all good humans). These behaviors predate the arrival of Homo sapiens in the region, suggesting Neanderthals developed them independently.

The old stereotype of Neanderthals as brutish and incapable of higher thought has crumbled under the weight of discoveries like the stalagmite circles at Bruniquel Cave in France or the possible proto-sculptures at La Roche-Cotard. The fossils of Prado Vargas add another dimension, suggesting a capacity for abstract thought previously attributed only to Homo sapiens.

The discovery at Prado Vargas forces us to reconsider what it means to be human. It suggests that the impulse to collect, to find beauty in the world and preserve it, is older and more universal than we imagined.

The findings appeared in the journal Quaternary.