Image Credit: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

Neandertal Cannibalism Targeted Outsiders

A new multidisciplinary study of remains from the Troisième caverne of Goyet in Belgium reveals that Neandertals practiced highly selective cannibalism around 41,000–45,000 years ago, targeting non-local females and juveniles. The site contains the largest collection of Neandertal bones in Northern Europe showing clear butchery marks, fresh-bone fractures, and bones reused as tools — all strong evidence of nutritional cannibalism.
Researchers combined ancient DNA, isotopic analysis, bone morphology and structural measurements to reconstruct the biological profiles of the individuals. They identified at least six Neandertals, including four adult or adolescent females and two young individuals.
The study found a striking pattern: the females from Goyet were shorter and more gracile than other Neandertals, with reduced limb robustness and no skeletal signs of high mobility, despite isotopic evidence showing they came from outside the region. Their overrepresentation suggests they may have belonged to another group — possibly visitors, captives, or members of a rival community.
Because these individuals were not local and appear biologically distinct, researchers propose that the Goyet assemblage reflects exocannibalism — the consumption of outsiders — likely tied to inter-group conflict, territorial pressures, or hostile encounters during a period of Neandertal cultural decline and the arrival of Homo sapiens in Northern Europe.
While cannibalism among Neandertals is known from several sites across Europe, its motivations have varied from survival to ritual. The new findings, published by an international team, offer rare insight into how Late Neandertal communities interacted and sometimes clashed during the transition to the Upper Paleolithic.

Published on: 23-11-2025

Source: Nature