To better understand Neanderthal cooking habits, researchers have recreated the butchering of birds using flint flakes. The experiment examined the effects of cooking on bone preservation and scarring, which helped explain the archaeological finds. A scientist triumphs over one of the birds. Pictured: Dr. Marian tensiune, right, Dr. Mariana Nabais, left.

Studying Neanderthal cooking habits revealed how difficult it was to dismember birds using flint tools and how important bone preservation was in archaeological research.

The study of Neanderthal diet and the effects of food preparation on small objects such as birds is complex. Therefore, it is difficult to determine what Neanderthals ate because there is little information available in archaeological records.

The lead author of the experiment, Dr. Mariana Nabais of the Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social in Spain, explained that the flint chips used for cutting were not a sought-after item and required a lot of skill and time off at home, as precise cuts were required without slashing the flint chips.

Although it is well known that Neanderthals hunted large game, we have limited information about the birds they hunted. However, recent discoveries and innovative techniques have allowed researchers to study these hunting methods more comprehensively. They analyzed Neanderthals’ food preparation methods to identify possible human remains and the extent of damage caused by other animals.

Do you wash your flake before preparing it? Are you?”

The researchers collected five wild birds that had died of natural causes at CERVAS in Gouveia, Portugal. They selected two carrion crows, two collared doves and a wood pigeon that resemble the species that Neanderthals consumed. They also examined archaeological and ethnographic data to determine cooking methods.

The birds were subjected to an automated killing process. One example is a carrion crow and a collared dove, which were then dismembered with a flint chip. The others were roasted over hot coals until cooked and then dismembered.

Nabais noted that roasting the birds over the coals requires a consistent temperature and careful monitoring of cooking time to avoid overcooking the meat. She explained that the roasting process was faster than expected, possibly because the birds were defeated before cooking.

The bone samples of the birds. Image courtesy of Dr. Mariana Nabais.

The scientists examined the bones by hand and then used a microscope to identify cut marks, fractures and burn marks. They also used the flint chips to examine the worn parts. In the case of the raw birds, the flint chip had to be used extensively, so there were now small crescent-shaped scars on the edge. While the cuts used to remove the flesh from the raw birds left no marks, the cuts aimed at the tendons left marks similar to those found on birds found at archaeological sites.

The bones of the roasted birds were brittle, some were splintered and beyond recovery, they showed signs of brown or black burns, probably from moderate heat, and some of the internal bones showed black spots, suggesting that the internal cavity contained burnt contents.

According to the scientists, this research still needs further investigation to gain a deeper understanding of the Neanderthal diet. Further studies should focus on small prey species and methods of processing them into non-food items such as feathers or claws.

The sample size of the study was only five bird specimens, which may not fully capture the diversity of bird species used by Neanderthals.

The study by Mariana Nabais, Anna Rufà and Marina Igreja, which focuses on the investigation of bone surface changes and fracture patterns in bird taxidermy, was published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology on 30 May 2024. The journal article is available at http://doi.org/10.1051/fearc.2024.1411853.