A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances have revealed new evidence about Neanderthal survival strategies, suggesting they were rendering fat from animal bones nearly 125,000 years ago—long before modern humans developed similar practices.
Neanderthals at the Neumark-Nord site practiced large-scale fat extraction from bones, marking one of the earliest known instances of grease rendering.
The discovery of this “fat factory” predates similar evidence of fat rendering by modern humans by thousands of years, changing the timeline of early human food processing.
The extraction of fat from animal bones allowed Neanderthals to avoid “rabbit starvation,” a potentially fatal condition resulting from excessive protein intake.
A Peek into Neanderthal Adaptability: The Evidence at Neumark-Nord The Neumark-Nord findings not only reveal Neanderthal food processing strategies but also highlight their resourcefulness in utilizing available materials.
According to a ground-breaking study that was published in Science Advances, Neanderthals may have been making fat from animal bones almost 125,000 years ago, long before contemporary humans adopted similar techniques. This finding fundamentally changes our understanding of Neanderthal behavior by demonstrating that they processed food using more advanced techniques than previously thought.
Archaeological evidence of Neanderthal bone processing activities is abundant in the Neumark-Nord region of Germany. Large-scale fat extraction from bones was a practice used by Neanderthals at the Neumark-Nord site, which is one of the earliest known examples of grease rendering. For their survival, especially during the hard winter months when plant-based carbohydrates were in short supply, this technique of extracting fat was essential. Their processing of bones from large mammals, such as horses, bison, and deer, demonstrated the Neanderthals’ capacity to optimize their caloric intake by removing not only the bone marrow but also the healthy fats that were embedded in the bones.
Examining the Neanderthals’ Bone Processing in More Detail: The “Fat Factory”.
The Neumark-Nord 2/2B archaeological site provides proof of a specialized area where Neanderthals converted large amounts of animal bones into nutrients high in fat. Researchers discovered the remains of more than 170 large mammals, which had been prepared for their fat and marrow. Interestingly, the bones were broken, boiled, and then skimmed to remove fats. This method allowed Neanderthals to add more protein to their diet, which would otherwise cause protein toxicity.
This “fat factory” was discovered thousands of years before similar evidence of fat rendering by modern humans, which alters the chronology of early human food processing. The majority of the bones discovered at the location came from animals with high fat content, like the jawbones and femurs, and they had undergone a lot of processing. There is evidence that the Neanderthals had a sophisticated understanding of how to remove and preserve fat from their prey for later use because these bones were crushed, heated, and boiled.
An Essential Survival Resource in Neanderthal Diets: The Function of Fat.
Given the high calorie requirements of their hunter-gatherer lifestyle, fat was a crucial macronutrient for Neanderthals. Neanderthals were able to prevent “rabbit starvation,” a potentially lethal condition brought on by an excessive protein diet, by extracting fat from animal bones. With fewer plant-based foods available during the winter and animal fat serving as a vital source of energy to help them get through lean times, this adaptation would have been essential.
The seasonal difficulties of hunting and foraging may have prompted the Neanderthals to develop these fat rendering techniques, according to researchers. Their ability to process fat-rich bones allowed them to produce calorie-dense food sources that they could store for later use, giving them the energy they needed to get through challenging months when there were few other food options. Their capacity to modify their methods of food processing probably helped them survive in harsh settings.
Neumark-Nord: The Evidence for Neanderthal Adaptability.
In addition to exposing Neanderthal food processing techniques, the Neumark-Nord results demonstrate how resourceful they were in making use of the materials at hand. Because the site was close to a water source, the boiling process for fat extraction was probably made easier. In addition, archaeologists discovered evidence of widespread bone fragment clustering, suggesting that the Neanderthals were purposefully moving and preparing vast amounts of bones from various animal species.
Curiously, the excavation also revealed evidence of the use of highly developed tools, such as hammerstones and anvils, which were probably used to break the bones and remove the fat. Based on these discoveries, it can be concluded that the Neanderthals were highly skilled foragers who had a thorough awareness of their surroundings and the resources at their disposal. Large-scale animal bone processing for fat extraction was probably done by Neanderthals cooperating to keep the community alive during times of famine.
