Researchers suggest that Neanderthals may have achieved extreme nitrogen isotope levels typical of carnivorous animals by consuming maggots from decomposed meat. This finding challenges traditional views of their diet, indicating a potential reliance on methods of food preparation that involved putrefaction, similar to fermentation practices used by some Indigenous cultures. Analysis of muscle tissue samples from decaying cadavers revealed rising nitrogen-15 levels as decomposition progressed, further supporting the idea that ancient humans had unique dietary habits involving larval consumption.
In the research, scientists observed a mysterious nitrogen isotope in Neanderthal bones at extreme levels typical of mega-meat-eaters like hyenas, suggesting unique food preparation methods involving decomposed meat.
The lead author posits that Neanderthals may have elevated their nitrogen levels by preparing their food using putrefaction methods akin to fermentation, drawing on historical Indigenous practices.
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