Belgium Cave Yields Evidence Neanderthals Cannibalized Outsiders 45,000 Years Ago
Goyet caves in Belgium have revealed disturbing evidence that Neanderthals practiced cannibalism, specifically targeting women and children from other groups approximately 45,000 years ago. A new analysis of bones discovered in the cave system indicates the individuals were butchered, with a focus on extracting marrow and muscle tissue, suggesting a deliberate act of consumption rather than mere scavenging. The findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, offer a grim glimpse into the social dynamics and potential conflicts faced by Neanderthals as they coexisted with, and ultimately succumbed to, Homo sapiens.
The discovery sheds light on a period of immense upheaval for Neanderthals, who were dwindling in number and facing increasing competition from modern humans. Researchers believe the cannibalism likely stemmed from intergroup violence, with the Goyet Neanderthals viewing outsiders – in this case, women and children from another Neanderthal band – as enemies. This behavior may have been exacerbated by resource scarcity and the cultural diversity present among Neanderthal groups at the time. The ongoing investigation aims to determine precisely how the victims were brought to the cave and the full extent of the cannibalistic practices.
The remains,discovered decades ago,were re-examined using advanced forensic techniques. Researchers identified cut marks on the bones consistent with deliberate dismemberment and defleshing. Notably, the collection is disproportionately comprised of leg bones, leading researchers to hypothesize that individuals may have been transported alive to the Goyet cave, killed nearby, and then selectively butchered.
“Moving living people is much easier than transporting dead bodies or body parts,” explained researcher Fabian Condamine, a paleoanthropologist at the university of Bordeaux, France. “This makes it plausible that the individuals were brought alive, killed close to the Goyet cave, and that the cannibalizing group deposited only selected body parts inside the chamber.”
The Goyet cave Neanderthals represent one of the last Neanderthal populations in Europe before their extinction around 40,000 years ago. This new evidence adds to a growing body of research suggesting that Neanderthal life was far more complex and frequently enough brutal than previously imagined, and that cannibalism, while not widespread, was a practiced response to specific social and environmental pressures.
