Outsiders Targeted: Neanderthals’ 41,000-Year-Old Cannibalism at Goyet, Belgium
A decade-long study of Neanderthal bones from Belgium’s Troisième caverne de Goyet reveals selective cannibalism of outsiders, including adult women and children, dating to about 41,000–45,000 years ago. Cut marks and bone processing resemble those used on animal remains, suggesting food consumption rather than ritual activity. Genetic analyses indicate the individuals were outsiders to the local group, pointing to intergroup conflict during a time of Neanderthal decline and Homo sapiens’s increasing presence in the region.
