Unearthing the Goyet Cave Assemblage

The Troisième caverne of Goyet, located in modern-day Belgium, stands as one of the richest archaeological sites for Neanderthal remains in Northern Europe. Discovered in the 19th century, this cave system has yielded over 100 Neanderthal bone fragments dating back between 41,000 and 45,000 years ago, placing it squarely in the late Middle Paleolithic period. This era was marked by environmental instability, with fluctuating climates challenging hominin survival, and the beginnings of Homo sapiens' expansion into Europe. Initial excavations revealed not only tools and animal bones but also human remains showing unusual modifications, sparking decades of debate over their taphonomic history—essentially, how and why these bones ended up fragmented and processed in the cave.

Early studies hinted at cannibalism, but fragmentation limited detailed analysis. A landmark 2016 paper confirmed anthropogenic marks on the bones, suggesting nutritional use. Fast-forward to 2025, and a multidisciplinary team revisited the collection stored at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, employing cutting-edge techniques to paint a clearer, more chilling picture.

The Groundbreaking 2025 Scientific Reports Publication

Published on November 19, 2025, in Scientific Reports, a Nature Portfolio journal, the study titled "Highly selective cannibalism in the Late Pleistocene of Northern Europe reveals Neanderthals were targeted prey" integrates paleogenetics, stable isotope analysis, morphometrics, and structural geometry. Lead analyst Quentin Cosnefroy from the University of Bordeaux's PACEA laboratory (UMR 5199 CNRS) collaborated with experts like Isabelle Crevecoeur (also Bordeaux), geneticists from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, and anthropologist Hélène Rougier from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Other contributors hail from the University of Tübingen, Aix-Marseille University, and more, showcasing the global, interdisciplinary nature of modern paleoanthropology research.

This open-access paper (read the full study here) builds on prior work by confirming a minimum number of six individuals through DNA extraction and morphological matching. The team's decade-long effort, funded partly by the French National Research Agency, exemplifies how universities drive human origins research through shared collections and advanced labs.

Biological Profiles: Vulnerable Victims Identified

Genetic shotgun sequencing and nuclear DNA capture determined the sexes: four adult or adolescent females (GN1, GN2, GN3, GN6), one juvenile male around 6.5–12.5 years (GN4), and one neonate male (GN5). Stature estimates using Sjøvold's formulas on femoral and tibial lengths revealed the females were exceptionally short—GN3, for instance, fell nearly two standard deviations below the Neanderthal average, around 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 meters)—and gracile, with reduced diaphyseal robusticity.

Cross-sectional geometry via microCT scans measured polar section modulus (Zp), a proxy for bending strength. Goyet females' femora and tibiae showed significantly lower Zp values (Welch's t-test, p < 0.05) compared to robust Neanderthals from nearby Spy Cave or Fonds-de-Forêt. Tibiae displayed circular cross-sections and minimal hypertrophy, indicating low locomotor demands rather than the high-mobility adaptations seen in males or Upper Paleolithic Homo sapiens. These traits suggest physically less formidable individuals, potentially easier targets.

Irrefutable Signs of Nutritional Cannibalism

About 33% of the 101 remains bear anthropogenic modifications: parallel cutmarks from defleshing and disarticulation, especially on lower limbs; V-shaped percussion notches for marrow access; and fresh spiral fractures akin to those on reindeer and horse bones at the site. One juvenile clavicle was even repurposed as a retoucher for stone tools, mirroring animal bone use.

Unlike ritualistic endocannibalism (same-group consumption, e.g., Spain's El Sidrón), the anatomical focus on nutrient-rich lower limbs and absence of perimortem trauma (beyond processing) points to practical, predatory exocannibalism—eating outsiders. Processing followed a step-by-step sequence: killing or capturing, defleshing with stone tools, smashing long bones for marrow, and discarding or reusing fragments, just like prey animals.

Proving Non-Local Origins Through Isotopes

Stable isotope ratios in collagen—δ¹³C (carbon), δ¹⁵N (nitrogen), and crucially δ³⁴S (sulfur)—differentiated the victims from local fauna and potential Goyet residents. While δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N indicated a homogeneous carnivorous diet (high trophic level), elevated δ³⁴S values mismatched nearby Spy Cave Neanderthals, pinpointing origins perhaps from another river valley or farther afield. Sulfur isotopes, influenced by local geology and hydrology, act like a prehistoric GPS, confirming these were outsiders transported to the cave.

Demographic Bias: No Random Mortality Here

Statistical modeling against Ledermann mortality tables and Chagyrskaya Cave references showed the odds of randomly sampling four females and two immatures from a group (p < 0.01–0.05 via 10,000 resampling iterations) were vanishingly low. This overrepresentation screams selection: Neanderthals deliberately brought vulnerable non-kin to Goyet for consumption, possibly during raids targeting reproductive potential.

• Targeted demographics: Gracile females (reproduction disruptors), juveniles (future threats).
• Contrast with fauna: Even sex/age mix, processed uniformly.
• No kinship: Ancient DNA showed no close relations among victims or to site occupants.

Intergroup Conflict in Neanderthal Societies

🦴 This exocannibalism fits ethnoarchaeological parallels, like Amazonian tribes consuming enemies to absorb strength or assert dominance. Occurring amid Neanderthal population decline, cultural variability (e.g., Châtelperronian tools nearby), and Homo sapiens' arrival, it suggests territorial skirmishes over scarce resources—mammoth steppe ungulates dwindling under cold snaps. Targeting females echoes modern warfare tactics to demoralize foes, potentially accelerating local Neanderthal extinction.

Hélène Rougier of CSUN notes: “These Neanderthal females and children were brought to the site and consumed by another group... to assert territorial control or weaken reproductive capabilities.”

Comparing to Other Neanderthal Cannibalism Sites

Goyet stands out for its predatory selectivity, differing from apparent mourning cannibalism elsewhere.

Universities Powering This Discovery

European powerhouses like University of Bordeaux (PACEA lab) led morphometrics, while Germany's Max Planck and Tübingen handled genomics and isotopes. CSUN's Rougier brought North American expertise in taphonomy. This collaboration highlights PhD programs in biological anthropology, lab techniques like microCT and aDNA extraction, and funding via ERC grants—ideal for aspiring researchers.

Future Avenues in Paleoanthropology Research

Ongoing proteomics could reveal kinship subtleties; climate modeling ties to Heinrich Event 4. Universities like Tübingen plan re-excavations. For students, internships at RBINS or MPI-EVA offer hands-on ancient DNA work, fostering careers in academia amid rising interest in human evolution.

Implications for Understanding Human Evolution

This reframes Neanderthals not as brutish but strategically violent, with social complexity rivaling early sapiens. It underscores inter-hominin competition's role in evolution, informing debates on why Neanderthals vanished ~40kya. Educational outreach via museum exhibits engages publics, while academicjobs platforms connect experts.

Careers in Neanderthal Research and Beyond

Fields like archaeogenetics boom, with roles in faculty, postdocs, research assistants. Interdisciplinary skills—stats, isotopes, ethics—open doors. Explore university programs training the next Rougier or Cosnefroy.

Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash