Neanderthals were selectively targeted for cannibalism in Ice Age Europe

[Buster's Uncle]

Jerusalem Post
Neanderthals were selectively targeted for cannibalism in Ice Age Europe, study reveals
JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Wed, December 10, 2025 at 4:45 PM EST
3 min read



Neanderthal communities in prehistoric Europe. How were they linked? (Illustrative) (photo credit: PIXABAY)


Research focused on human remains found at the Troisième caverne of Goyet, a cave site in present-day Belgium that contains one of the largest known assemblages of Neanderthal bones in northern EU.

Neanderthals living in northern Europe during the Late Pleistocene may have been deliberately targeted, killed, and cannibalized by other human groups, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports.

The findings challenge long-held assumptions that Neanderthal cannibalism was primarily ritualistic or driven by extreme survival conditions.

This peer-reviewed study was initially [url-https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/article-861326]published in the academic journal Scientific Reports[/url].

The research focused on human remains found at the Troisième caverne of Goyet, a cave site in present-day Belgium that contains one of the largest known assemblages of Neanderthal bones in northern Europe.

Previous studies had identified cut marks and bone fractures consistent with cannibalism. Still, the new analysis goes further by examining who the victims were and whether their deaths reflected selective targeting.



The skull of the child from Israel's Skhul Cave, showing the typical cranial curvature of Homo sapiens. (credit: TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY)


Researchers identify remains of six Neanderthals

Using a combination of ancient DNA analysis, stable isotope testing, and detailed measurements of long bones, researchers identified the remains of at least six Neanderthals. These included four adult or adolescent females and two juveniles. The distribution, the authors say, is highly unusual.

“The demographic profile does not reflect natural mortality,” the study found, noting that adult males, typically overrepresented in accidental deaths or violent encounters, were largely absent. Instead, females and children dominated the sample.

The victims' physical characteristics were further evident. Long-bone analysis indicated that female individuals were generally shorter and less robust than males in other known Neanderthal populations.

Structural markers associated with high mobility were also largely absent, despite isotopic evidence indicating that these individuals were not local to the Goyet area.

That combination, non-local origin, physical gracility, and demographic skew, suggests the victims were selected rather than randomly encountered, the researchers concluded.

Evidence on the bones themselves supports this interpretation. The Neanderthal remains showed systematic cut marks, impact fractures, and signs of marrow extraction that closely matched the treatment of animal bones found at the same site.

Several human bones were also repurposed as retouchers, commonly used to shape stone implements.

“The processing of human remains followed the same patterns as prey animals,” the authors wrote, pointing to nutritional cannibalism rather than burial rituals or symbolic behavior.

Taken together, the findings suggest episodes of exocannibalism, or the killing and consumption of individuals from outside one’s own group. The researchers argue this likely reflects violent intergroup conflict, possibly driven by territorial competition, population stress, or broader social instability during the period.

The remains date to between roughly 41,000 and 45,000 years ago, a time of significant upheaval in Europe. Neanderthal populations were declining, climates were fluctuating, and early modern humans were expanding across the continent.

While the study does not identify the perpetrators, it raises the possibility that Neanderthals were sometimes preyed upon by other human groups, including both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.

The authors caution against interpreting the findings as evidence of uniquely violent behavior. Cannibalism has been documented across human history in a range of contexts, including warfare, survival situations, and cultural practices. However, the clear selectivity at Goyet sets this site apart.

“This study changes how we think about cannibalism in prehistory,” the researchers wrote, emphasizing that it was not always an act of desperation, but in some cases a deliberate and organized practice embedded in social conflict.

By demonstrating that Neanderthals themselves could be targeted as prey, the study adds a new dimension to our understanding of their social world, one shaped not only by cooperation and care but also by competition and violence.

As researchers continue to reexamine old collections with new tools, the authors suggest similar patterns may yet emerge at other sites across Ice Age Europe.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/neanderthals-were-selectively-targeted-cannibalism-214558129.html