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  11. Highly Selective Cannibalism In The Late Pleistocene Of Northern Europe Reveals Neandertals Were Targeted Prey

Highly selective cannibalism in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Europe reveals Neandertals were targeted prey

Quentin Cosnefroy1, Isabelle Crevecoeur2, Patrick Semal3

  • 1UMR 5199 PACEA, CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, Ministère de La Culture, Pessac, France. quentin.cosnefroy@u-bordeaux.fr.

Scientific Reports
|November 19, 2025

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View abstract on PubMed

Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Neandertals from Goyet Cave show unique traits, with short, gracile, non-local females and juveniles overrepresented. This suggests exocannibalism possibly due to conflict or outsider treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Paleoanthropology
  • Archaeogenetics
  • Bioarchaeology

Background:

  • The Goyet Caves contain the largest Northern European Neandertal assemblage with evidence of cannibalism.
  • Skeletal fragmentation has hindered detailed analysis of Neandertal behavior and morphology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To reconstruct biological profiles of Goyet Neandertals using integrated analyses.
  • To investigate unique characteristics of the Goyet assemblage and its formation.

Main Methods:

  • Palaeogenetic, isotopic, morphometric, and structural analyses of long bones.
  • Radiocarbon dating of remains.

Main Results:

  • Minimum of six individuals identified, including four adult/adolescent females.
Keywords:
BehaviourExocannibalismLower limbMobility

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  • Goyet females exhibit short stature and reduced bone robusticity compared to other Neandertals and Homo sapiens.
  • Isotopic data indicate non-local origins, yet lack skeletal markers of high mobility.

    • Conclusions:

    • The Goyet assemblage shows a selection bias towards short, gracile, non-local females and juveniles.
    • Cannibalized remains suggest exocannibalism, potentially linked to inter-group conflict or outsider treatment during a period of Neandertal decline and Homo sapiens arrival.
    Neandertals
    Phenotypic diversity