Ancestral Neanderthals could have carried forward regional culinary customs
In a groundbreaking study, researchers have discovered significant differences in the butchery techniques used by Neanderthal groups living in the Amud and Kebara caves in Israel, approximately 50,000 years ago. These findings offer insights into the cultural traditions and social organization of these ancient communities.
## Distinct Butchery Patterns
The Neanderthals at Amud and Kebara left behind distinct patterns of cut-marks on animal bones, suggesting unique butchery traditions that may have been passed down through generations via social learning and cultural norms. At Amud, the cut-marks were more densely packed and less linear in shape compared to those at Kebara.
## Prey and Hunting Practices
The Neanderthals at Kebara appeared to focus on hunting larger prey, such as deer and horse, while the Amud group may have processed smaller or more fragmented remains. Around 40% of the animal bones from Amud showed signs of burning and fragmentation, indicative of cooking or drying practices. An alternative explanation proposes that the dense cutting marks at Amud could indicate the group was drying their meat before butchering.
## Implications for Cultural Traditions and Social Organization
The distinct butchery patterns imply that Neanderthals could have had local "family recipes" or cultural preferences that influenced their food preparation practices. This suggests that even subsistence activities like butchering were influenced by cultural factors. The variations in butchery techniques between the two sites may reflect differences in social organization or cultural influences, indicating that Neanderthal communities were not uniform in their practices.
Anaëlle Jallon, a PhD candidate at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is the lead author of the article discussing these findings. However, the bone fragments' sizes sometimes prevent a complete understanding of the butchery marks on the carcass, and future studies, including experimental work and comparative analyses, will be crucial for addressing uncertainties in the data.
The study's results offer valuable insights into the Neanderthal way of life, despite biases caused by fragmentation. If butchery techniques varied between sites or time periods, it suggests that Neanderthals had unique food traditions passed down through social learning and cultural traditions. For example, the number of butchers working on a single kill might have varied between the two groups.
The researchers analyzed cut-marks on prey remains from the two caves to understand potential food traditions. The findings imply that factors such as cultural traditions, cooking preferences, or social organization influenced even subsistence-related activities such as butchering among Neanderthals, offering a more nuanced understanding of their way of life.
The Neanderthals' distinct butchery techniques, observed in the Amud and Kebara caves, may hint at health-and-wellness practices involving food preparation, such as cooking or drying methods. These variations in butchery patterns could also indicate unique science-based knowledge handed down through generations, reflecting the cultural traditions and social organization of these ancient communities.
