According to new studies, Neanderthals could have enjoyed a cultured, maggot-infested meat diet. Such habits would shake the established understandings of their diets. Above all else, this discovery offers insight into their cultural practices, which seem to be similar to those of contemporary Indigenous peoples. By examining the nitrogen isotope values in Neanderthal remains, scientists have begun to unravel the complexities of their diet and its implications for human evolution.
The potential stable nitrogen isotope (δ¹⁵N) values recorded in Neanderthal bones span a range from 0.9 permil to 11.2 permil. These values are much greater for cooked foods, rotting flesh and for maggots consuming crumbling organic material. These results imply that hypercarnivores like cave lions and hyenas occupied a similar ecological niche as Neanderthals. They supplemented their diets with nontraditional food sources.
Cultural Connections to Indigenous Practices
The ecological adaptations to diet that Neanderthals had could have been cultural, similar to what we see with Indigenous diets right now. For example, Indigenous peoples are known to value gut-processed, thoroughly putrefied, maggot-infested animal foods as desirable foods rather than as foods of last resort. This interpretation explains the elevated δ¹⁵N values observed in Neanderthal remains. It points to evidence that this small group of early humans probably had widespread consumption behaviors.
The link between the two groups is better illuminated when looking at the δ¹⁵N values assigned to maggots. These invasive larvae feed on living as well as decomposing tissue. Ito et al. (2019) show δ¹⁵N values ranging from 5.4 permil to 43.2 permil, up to almost four times the muscle tissue values. This large discrepancy suggests that Neanderthals may have obtained this extra nitrogen from eating maggots with fermented meat.
“We don’t eat the smell” – Indigenous peoples [“phys.org”]
This quote perfectly illustrates the state of mind that many communities have regarding the edibility of composted food. Neanderthals were around when fresh food was still relatively rare, and they had to know a lot more about rotting food. This flexibility enabled them to shed in specialized to resource marginal soils.
Dietary Analysis through Stable Isotope Values
Regardless, δ ¹ ⁄ ⁵ N values for Neanderthals begin to paint a useful picture of their dietary practices. The wide span of these values points toward an expansive consumption pattern, which likely included diverse terrestrial and aquatic protein sources. As this muscle tissue breaks down, δ¹⁵N values increase slightly. Interestingly, this finding indicates that Neanderthals ate both fresh meat and aged, rotting meat.
Similar chemical signatures found in Neanderthal bones suggest a carnivorous diet. Generally, if δ¹⁵N is high, it means that organisms are at the top of the food web. Neanderthal food flaking This positioning dovetails nicely with prior findings showing Neanderthals ate their foods in ways nonhominin carnivores just don’t eat things.
To this end, research has pointed out the necessity of knowing the impact of various food processing techniques on these isotope values. Experimental studies based on traditional Indigenous foodways can shed light on how Neanderthals may have processed and preserved their meals.
Implications for Understanding Human Evolution
The significance of these discoveries goes well beyond simply renouncing a percent vegetarian diet. It attacks the long-held narrative of Neanderthals as being brutish, base foragers. Rather, they appear as nuanced creatures with developed cultural rituals around food intake, similar to today’s Indigenous populations.
Scientists are still actively investigating the dietary habits of Neanderthals. Their discoveries may illuminate key links to humanity’s evolution and adaptation. Incorporating decomposed or fermented foods into their diet shows advanced survival strategies. It exhibits cultural wisdom that has transcended through the ages.