Fermented meat with a side of maggots: A new look at the Neanderthal diet

https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/07/fermented-meat-with-a-side-of-maggots-a-new-look-at-the-neanderthal-diet/

Neanderthals’ cultural practices, similar to those of Indigenous peoples, might be the answer to the mystery of their high δ¹⁵N values. Ancient hominins were butchering, storing, preserving, cooking, and cultivating a variety of items. All these practices enriched their paleo menu with foods in forms that nonhominin carnivores do not consume. Research shows that δ¹⁵N values are higher for cooked foods, putrid muscle tissue from terrestrial and aquatic species, and, with our study, for fly larvae feeding on decaying tissue.

I mean, this makes sense. Other primates eats grubs. But I would never have come up with this theory without someone else suggesting it first.

33 points · 11 comments · view on lemmy.world

11 Comments

ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 1y (2 replies)

Note to self: If you ever invent time travel and are invited to have lunch with a neanderthal tribe... politely decline!

Bonesince1997@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 1y (1 reply)

Pack a lunch in your time machine.

ThePowerOfGeek@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 1y

Yup. Just some unwrapped fermented meat sandwiches and a couple of horny flies. What could go wrong?!

swelter_spark@reddthat.com · 5 pts · 1y (4 replies)

It's very interesting that they were able to eat rotting meat without getting sick. I believe some cultures still do. I practice this skill, but eating beef that's a little off still makes my stomach upset.

bigfondue@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 1y (3 replies)
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crandlecan@mander.xyz · 1 pts · 1y (2 replies)

Botulism entered the chat...

bigfondue@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y (1 reply)
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swelter_spark@reddthat.com · 2 pts · 1y

Hmm, very interesting... That explains a lot.

CarbonIceDragon@pawb.social · 4 pts · 1y (1 reply)

I wonder if neanderthals would've liked casu martzu cheese then.

capt_wolf@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 1y

Jesus, you know that became a thing because one stubborn guy was like, "The cheese went bad??? Fuck it, I'm not losing my money! Get your fly cheese here!"

atticus88th@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 1y

Turns out Arbys has had the Neanderthal menu all along.

Photuris@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 1y
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thfi@discuss.tchncs.de · 1 pts · 1y

Sounds like gagh.

ChippiChappa@ani.social · 1 pts · 1y

Ohh . . . not the Dutch.