Learn more about these living fossils from millions of years ago
<p>Neanderthals are our closest <a href="https://www.starsinsider.com/lifestyle/485821/extinct-human-species-how-different-were-they-from-us" target="_blank">extinct</a> human relative; they lived between 130,000 and 40,000 years ago, primarily in Europe and parts of western Asia. We know what Neanderthals looked like: they had large faces, angled cheekbones, and large noses for humidifying and warming cold, dry air. We also know they were hunter-gatherers who lived by hunting, fishing, and harvesting wild food. But what exactly were Neanderthals eating? If you're curious to discover the diet of this group of archaic humans, click through this gallery now.</p>
While Neanderthals lived between 130,000 and 40,000 years ago, research suggests they had advanced language ability and a unique diet, suggesting they were far from primitive.
On the African continent, between 400,000 and 800,000 years ago, a population of hominins started to split apart. One portion of this population stayed put, while the other ventured to Europe.
The two groups turned into two separate species, with Homo sapiens arising in Africa and Homo neanderthalensis (Neanderthals) appearing in Europe.
Scientists believe Neanderthals made and manipulated tools and likely produced simple speech. They also participated in symbolic behaviors, dabbling in art, and personal adornment.
Archaeologists believe Neanderthals lived in open settlements and took shelter from the cold in caves. They typically resided alongside 12 to 25 relatives but would interact with 10 to 20 neighboring troops.
Some studies suggest females would seek partners in neighboring troops in an attempt to avoid inbreeding.
Archaeologists found evidence at some sites that Neanderthals would tend to the sick and injured but also engage in intraspecies violence, suggesting a complex society similar to our own.
Evidence suggests Neanderthals had a tendency to bury their dead, and the analysis of pollen particles at some sites suggests that Neanderthals decorated the dead with flowers, such as yarrow, before burial.
Neanderthals would also mark cave walls with scratches, slashes, and spots, and color them with types of paint and pigments.
Neanderthals made and used a variety of simple but effective tools, including hand axes, spears, and flake tools (sharp pieces of stone chipped off larger rocks, used for cutting meat, plants, and other materials).
According to some archaeologists, Neanderthals would pound, crush, and cook their food over fires prior to consumption to make it tastier.
Neanderthals were anatomically suited to an omnivorous diet, but scientists believe they consumed more meat than plants.
The chemical composition of several Neanderthal skeletons shows the average Neanderthal diet consisted of a lot of meat.
Dental wear on some Neanderthal teeth suggested that edible vegetation was a key part of their diet, while plaque analysis from other Neanderthal teeth showed a meat-rich diet.
Studies of bone isotopes have shown Neanderthals in Northern Europe got 80 to 90% of their protein from animals—similar to hyenas and wolves.
Some scientists suggest Neanderthals would have had enlarged livers and kidneys to cope with the high amounts of protein. Modern humans can only tolerate around 35% of lean protein in our diets before the kidneys start to suffer.
Neanderthals would change their diet depending on the seasons. They would eat reindeer in the winter and red deer in the summer.
Neanderthals and mammoths lived together in Europe during the Ice Age. Evidence suggests that Neanderthals hunted and ate mammoths for tens of thousands of years.
Around 90,000 years ago, in what’s now Portugal, Neanderthals regularly caught brown crab, roasted them on coals, and ate the cooked flesh. Evidence suggests they would have used stone tools to crack open the shells.
Neanderthals would likely have caught the crabs in shallow low-tide rock pools and possibly used spears to stun them.
Archaeologists also believe Neanderthals ate shellfish, particularly mussels, limpets, and clams.
The Franchthi Cave in Greece showed evidence of Neanderthals eating a diverse diet. Wild nuts, peas, and grasses were combined with pulses like beans or lentils.
According to recent research, Neanderthals living between 106,000 and 86,000 years ago at the cave of Figueira Brava near Setubal, modern-day Portugal, were eating dolphins and seals.
Two Neanderthals discovered in the El Sidrón cave in Spain showed evidence of eating a more plant-based diet consisting of mushrooms, pine nuts, moss, and even tree bark.
Evidence suggests Neanderthals hunted birds similar to today's carrion crows, collared doves, and wood pigeons.
Evidence suggests that cannibalism was practiced by Neanderthals, particularly during times when other food sources were scarce.
Neanderthals died out about 40,000 years ago, and while the exact reasons aren't fully known, scientists believe it was due to a combination of factors, including competition with Homo Sapiens, climate change, and reduced genetic diversity.
Sources: (CNN) (Archaeology) (Science)(Sapiens) (History Hit)
What was the Neanderthal diet like?
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LIFESTYLE History
Neanderthals are our closest extinct human relative; they lived between 130,000 and 40,000 years ago, primarily in Europe and parts of western Asia. We know what Neanderthals looked like: they had large faces, angled cheekbones, and large noses for humidifying and warming cold, dry air. We also know they were hunter-gatherers who lived by hunting, fishing, and harvesting wild food. But what exactly were Neanderthals eating? If you're curious to discover the diet of this group of archaic humans, click through this gallery now.