Neanderthals had a diverse diet that included maggots, contradicting previous beliefs that they were hypercarnivores. Research indicates they prioritized fatty parts of animals and consumed maggots from decomposing carcasses. The nitrogen levels found in Neanderthal bones suggested they were at the top of the food chain, but they could not handle the protein levels like lions. Indigenous practices of eating maggots have led scientists to reconsider Neanderthal dietary habits and their role in early human nutrition.
The discovery of chemical signatures in ancient Neanderthal bones suggests that they included maggots in their diet, challenging the notion that they were simple hypercarnivores.
Researchers believe that rather than exclusively eating meat, Neanderthals favored the fatty parts of their kills and incorporated maggots from decomposing carcasses.
Neanderthals exhibited high levels of heavy nitrogen in their bones, which typically indicates carnivorous diets, but this study shows they could not safely consume the amount needed.
Current Indigenous practices of consuming maggots from putrefied meat led researchers to investigate the dietary habits of Neanderthals, indicating their likely reliance on such sources.
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