Illustration by Mauricio Antón

A variety of stone tools found mixed among the fossil remains at Gran Dolina have provided important clues about the early humans of Atapuerca. These implements are fairly crude: they hardly differ from the first stone tools made in Africa about 2.5 million years ago. But the tools left visible cut marks on many of the animal bones found at the site, indicating that even with these simple flakes and choppers, the hominids of Gran Dolina butchered animals—as well as other hominids.

The Gran Dolina humans relied on animals as a source of food and probably skins. These ancient hominids almost certainly must have worn simple clothing made from animal skins to protect them from the Ice Age climate—although scientists have not demonstrated this conclusively. There is as yet no evidence that Homo antecessor controlled fire for warmth or cooking.