A recent study reveals that Neanderthals in central Germany operated prehistoric "fat factories" approximately 125,000 years ago. At the Neumark-Nord 2 site, they not only broke bones for marrow but also processed large mammal bones to extract calorie-rich bone fat.
The research, published in the journal Science Advances, indicates that Neanderthals possessed more sophisticated resource management strategies than previously believed. The Neumark-Nord 2 site, located in a lake landscape with a climate similar to today's, provided a setting for these activities.
Archaeologists found evidence that Neanderthals processed bones from at least 172 large mammals, including deer, horses, and aurochs. They crushed the bones into small fragments and heated them in water to extract the fat. This process required careful planning and resource management, including hunting, carcass transport, and fat processing in specific areas. Dr. Lutz Kindler, the lead author, noted that Neanderthals "clearly managed resources carefully—planning hunts, transporting carcasses, and processing fat in specific task areas."
The findings suggest Neanderthals may have developed food storage methods, like keeping fat-rich carcass parts for later processing. This highlights a higher level of planning and adaptation in their survival strategies. Further research at Neumark-Nord is expected to provide deeper insights into Neanderthals' interactions with their environment and their survival strategies.