Abstract
Straight-tusked elephants (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) were the largest land mammals of the European Pleistocene. Abundant fossil remains have been recovered from Neumark-Nord [~125 thousand years ago (ka); Saxony-Anhalt, NE Germany], where over 70 individuals were accumulated by Neanderthal hunting and butchering activity. This study reconstructs the species' paleoecology using a multiproxy approach that combines isotopic and paleoproteomic analyses of tooth enamel. LA-MC-ICPMS (87)Sr/(86)Sr analyses on molar cross sections from four adults reveal subseasonal mobility over periods up to eight years. A specifically developed Sr isoscape facilitates tracking of elephant movements, using Bayesian analysis to map their Last Interglacial homerange. Amelogenin proteomic analysis identified three males and one likely female. Two male elephants exhibit elevated (87)Sr/(86)Sr profiles, distinct from the local bioavailable ratios. Intra-tooth δ(13)C and δ(18)O analyses provide insights into paleodiet and drinking water sources, differing between individuals with low and elevated (87)Sr/(86)Sr. The latter likely foraged up to 300 km away before arriving at Neumark-Nord, where they were ultimately killed and processed by Neanderthals.