Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery at the Neumark-Nord site in eastern Germany, revealing evidence of an ancient Neanderthal “fat factory.” Dating back around 125,000 years, this sophisticated facility would have been used to extract valuable bone marrow and grease from large mammals. The findings are significant as they provide conclusive proof of Neanderthals’ advanced resource management skills.
At the site, archaeologists uncovered over 100,000 bone fragments from at least 172 large mammals, including horses and deer. Many of these bones showed signs of intentional breakage and cutting marks, indicating that Neanderthals deliberately butchered them to obtain food. The presence of tool use and fires in the same location suggests a high level of organization and planning.
According to Dr. Lutz Kindler, an archaeologist at the MONREPOS Archaeological Research Center, this discovery sheds light on Neanderthal intelligence and resource management skills. “The factory was intensive, organized, and strategic,” he says. “Neanderthals were managing resources with precision, planning hunts, transporting carcasses, and rendering fat in a task-specific area.”
This finding is significant as it pushes back the timeline for this type of sophisticated bone processing by 100,000 years. The researchers believe that Neanderthals may have been caching carcass parts at other locations to be transported to and used at the grease rendering site.
The discovery highlights the complexity and sophistication of Neanderthal behavior, challenging common stereotypes about their intelligence and capabilities. As Dr. Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser notes, “Bone grease production requires a certain volume of bones to make this labor-intensive processing worthwhile.”
This latest research adds to the growing body of evidence that reveals Neanderthals were more intelligent and resourceful than previously thought. Future studies will likely shed more light on the whys and wherefores of their decline and the secrets left behind by these ancient humans.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/ancient-neanderthal-fat-factory-reveals-how-advanced-they-really-were