Question

1. What was the Neandertal diet like? What evidence have anthropologists discovered to support our current understanding of what Neandertals ate?

Answer 1

1. The Neanderthal diet comprised of edible plant foods which were available during most times of the year except for winter season. The number of plant foods dropped significantly which led them to exploit other food sources like meat. They were specialised hunters who used to hunt animals based on their availability on seasons. This included reindeer in the winter and red deer in the summer. Some of them lived along coastal areas living on mollusks, fishes, dolphins etc.

Clear evidence were reported from anthropologists who discovered sharp wooden spears and large animal remains that were hunted down by neanderthals. The isotopic chemical analyses which were carried out of the bones of neanderthals contributed significantly to the fact that they ate a lot of meat. Further, plaques were also found on the remains of the molar teeth which contained starch grains. This led scientists to conclude that they fed on plants as well.