(NewsNation) — New archeological research reveals Neanderthals had varying food preferences and spiced up their diets by using different food preparation techniques.
The way Neanderthals, an extinct species of humans, butchered their meat varied depending on where they lived, a study published Wednesday found. The archaeological discovery suggests cultural differences among early groups of people.
Researchers studied and compared butchery cut mark patterns of 344 animal bone fragments from two nearby cave sites in modern-day Israel, where Neanderthals were known to have inhabited.
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“This evidence might suggest distinctive butchering strategies between the Neanderthal populations in Amud and Kebara caves despite comparable occupation intensities, similar lithic technologies, and access to similar food resources,” the authors wrote in the study. “Such discrepancies could possibly reflect inter-group cultural differences related to carcass processing preferences, organization of tasks within the group, or socially transmitted traditions.”
In other words, although the two cave sites were close in distance and had similar tech and food resources, the people there developed unique food habits.
Food is often one representation of a culture, and the research showed Neanderthals formed their own sub-cultures, similar to today.
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