Friday, April 3

Bearded Vulture Nests Hold Trove Of Centuries-Old Artifacts


Bearded vultures build giant, elaborate nests that are passed down from generation to generation. And according to a new study, some of these scavengers have collected bits and bobs of human history over the course of centuries. Scientists picked apart 12 vulture nests preserved in Spain and discovered a museum collection’s worth of objects, including a woven sandal that could be more than 700 years old.

Host Flora Lichtman talks with study author Ana Belen Marín-Arroyo, an archaeologist who studies ancient humans, about how the nests are giving us a glimpse into vulture culture as well as the lives of the people they lived beside.

six images of ancient human artifacts found in a bearded vulture's nest.
Among the handcrafted objects found in the bearded vulture nests were part of a grass sling, a basket fragment, a piece of sheepskin with painted red lines, and a crossbow arrow, which the bird may have used as nesting material or collected from prey. Credit: Sergio Couto

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