image: Neandertal human remains from the Troisième caverne of Goyet (Belgium). Highly fragmented bones bear traces characteristic of fresh bone fracturing and percussion, demonstrating intentional treatment of the bodies. The individuals (GNx, for “Goyet Neandertal” x), numbering six at minimum, were identified by genetic analyses: XX indicates female gender, and XY male gender.
Credit: © Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences /Scientific Reports
Situating these analyses in the context of the late Middle Paleolithic3 – marked in Northern Europe by great cultural diversity within Neandertal groups and the emerging presence of Homo sapiens in nearby areas – such cannibalism directed at specific outsiders could reflect the existence of territorial tensions between groups that preceded the disappearance of Neandertals in the region.
These conclusions are based on ten years of research involving a reassessment of the Goyet collection4 through DNA analysis, radiocarbon dating, and isotopic measurements to determine the geographic origin of individuals, in addition to virtual reconstitutions enabling morphological analysis of sometimes very fragmentary human bones.
Journal
Scientific Reports
Article Title
Highly selective cannibalism in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Europe reveals Neandertals were targeted prey
Article Publication Date
20-Nov-2025