Evidence of Selective Cannibalism Among Neandertals at Goyet Cave
A recent study of Neandertal remains from the Troisième caverne of Goyet in Belgium has revealed evidence of selective cannibalistic behavior, primarily targeting adult females and children, dating between 41,000 and 45,000 years ago. For the first time, researchers have established the biological profiles of the victims, showing that they likely came from outside the local community.
Analysis indicates that these individuals were brought to the site for consumption as food, rather than for ritual purposes. Researchers noted cut marks and other modifications on the bones similar to those found on animal remains hunted, butchered, and eaten by Neandertals at Goyet.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, was conducted by an international team including researchers from CNRS, the University of Bordeaux, and Aix-Marseille University.
Placed in the broader context of the late Middle Paleolithic, a period marked by cultural diversity among Neandertal groups and the nearby presence of early Homo sapiens, this selective cannibalism could reflect territorial tensions or competition between groups. Such dynamics may have contributed to pressures leading up to the eventual disappearance of Neandertals in the region.
The conclusions are drawn from ten years of intensive research, which involved a comprehensive reassessment of the Goyet collection. Techniques included DNA analysis, radiocarbon dating, and isotopic studies to determine the geographic origins of individuals, as well as virtual reconstructions that allowed detailed morphological analysis of fragmentary human bones.
