Neanderthals Ate Maggots, Revealing New Dietary Insights

Researchers have uncovered new insights into the dietary habits of Neanderthals, revealing that they did not solely rely on large prey like mammoths and bison but also consumed maggots. This finding, published in the journal Science Advances, highlights the diverse diet of these ancient humans and their adaptability in various environments.

Using chemical analysis of Neanderthal bones, a team led by Melanie Beasley from Purdue University has established that Neanderthals were positioned at the top of the food chain, similar to apex predators such as lions. Traditionally, their diet was thought to be predominantly meat-based, primarily consisting of large animals. The research indicates that Neanderthals also incorporated a rich source of protein in the form of maggots, which are fat-rich and easily accessible.

To understand how Neanderthals’ diets influenced their nitrogen isotope levels, researchers focused on stable nitrogen isotopes, specifically Nitrogen-14 and Nitrogen-15. These isotopes serve as dietary markers, with Nitrogen-15 accumulating through the food chain: plants have low levels, herbivores accumulate some, and carnivores exhibit the highest concentrations. Analysis of nitrogen isotopes from Neanderthal bones across Europe consistently showed elevated levels of Nitrogen-15, comparable to or exceeding those of wolves and hyenas.

This pattern raises an intriguing question, as Neanderthals, unlike other apex predators, could not tolerate high levels of protein without risking protein poisoning, historically referred to as “rabbit starvation.” Researchers began to explore whether other dietary components could account for the elevated nitrogen-15 values observed in Neanderthal remains.

Interestingly, Homo sapiens from the same time period exhibited similar nitrogen signatures. The researchers drew parallels with modern Indigenous tribes in the Arctic and subarctic regions, known to consume maggots found in decaying meat. This led to the hypothesis that maggots could be a significant factor contributing to the nitrogen isotope spikes in Neanderthal bones.

Through experimental analysis, the team discovered that maggots feeding on decomposing animal flesh possess nitrogen-15 levels nearly four times higher than those of lions. They conducted tests on fly larvae consuming decomposing human muscle tissue, finding that as flesh deteriorates, lighter nitrogen atoms escape as gases, leaving behind heavier isotopes. As a result, maggots feeding on this rotting tissue become enriched in nitrogen-15. Notably, larvae collected during winter displayed even higher levels, likely due to slower decomposition rates in colder temperatures.

This research suggests that the Neanderthal diet likely included not only large mammals but also maggots from decaying meat, providing a plausible explanation for their elevated nitrogen isotope levels without relying solely on a hypercarnivore diet. The study concludes, “In the particular case considered here of Eurasian Late Pleistocene hominins, we suspect that the high [Nitrogen-15] values reflect routine consumption of stored decomposing fatty animal substrates laced with highly-enriched maggots.”

This groundbreaking study sheds light on the complexities of Neanderthal diets, illustrating their resourcefulness and dietary flexibility in a challenging environment. Understanding the full scope of their eating habits helps to enrich our knowledge of human evolution and our ancient relatives’ survival strategies.