Neanderthals extracted fat from bones 125,000 years ago, a discovery that pushes back our understanding of their food strategies by tens of thousands of years. The findings, published in Science Advances, come from the Neumark-Nord site in central Germany, which dates back to an interglacial period similar to today’s temperatures.
Researchers found evidence of Neanderthals cracking open bones to extract marrow and crushing large mammal bones into fragments to render calorie-rich bone grease. This process, known as “bone grease production,” required a significant amount of bones, making it a labour-intensive task.
The team, led by archaeologists from MONREPOS and Leiden University, discovered that Neanderthals operated a prehistoric “fat factory” in the Neumark-Nord site complex. They carefully selected a lakeside location to process bones from at least 172 large mammals, including deer, horses, and aurochs.
This discovery shifts our understanding of Neanderthal resource management and planning. The Neanderthals appeared to have planned hunts, transported carcasses, and rendered fat in a task-specific area. They understood the nutritional value of fat and how to access it efficiently.
The findings suggest that Neanderthals could plan ahead, process food efficiently, and make sophisticated use of their environment. The authors estimate that Neanderthals harvested hundreds of herbivores, including straight-tusked elephants, in the warm-temperate phase.
The discovery provides a unique insight into Neanderthal adaptability and survival strategies. It shows that Neanderthals could have had a significant impact on herbivore populations, especially slow-reproducing taxa.
Read the full article in Science Advances to learn more about this groundbreaking research.
Source: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/news/2025/07/neanderthals-ran-fat-factories-125000-years-ago