Neanderthals Operated "Fat Factories" 125,000 Years Ago [View all]

July 4, 2025 Leiden University

Neanderthals systematically processed bones from at least 172 large mammals at a lakeside location in Germany 125,000 years ago, operating what researchers describe as a prehistoric “fat factory.”

The discovery at Neumark-Nord 2 fundamentally changes our understanding of Neanderthal food strategies, revealing sophisticated resource management that predates similar behaviors in other human groups by tens of thousands of years.

The evidence shows Neanderthals didn’t just crack open bones for marrow—they crushed massive quantities into tens of thousands of fragments to render calorie-rich bone grease through heating in water. This labor-intensive process required careful planning, specialized tools, and detailed knowledge of nutrition that challenges long-held assumptions about Neanderthal capabilities.

Organized Industrial-Scale Processing
“This was intensive, organised, and strategic,” explains Dr. Lutz Kindler, the study’s first author. “Neanderthals were clearly managing resources with precision—planning hunts, transporting carcasses, and rendering fat in a task-specific area.”

The site preserved exceptional evidence of this prehistoric industry. Researchers found over 118,000 bone fragments alongside 16,500 flint tools, hammerstones, and abundant signs of fire use. Most remarkably, two-thirds of the bone material measured smaller than 3 centimeters—the tiny fragments essential for efficient grease extraction.

More:
https://scienceblog.com/neanderthals-operated-fat-factories-125000-years-ago/