Neanderthals Killed a Cave Lion 48,000 Years Ago, and Scientists Know How

Wielding the age-old power of a sharpened stick, Neanderthals defeated one of their chief competitors and left behind evidence of their lethal technique.

By Matt Hrodey
Nov 2, 2023 7:00 PMNov 2, 2023 6:57 PM
Wooden spears used by Neanderthals to hunt cave lions
The cave lion hunt used a wooden spear to end the animal's life. (Credit: Peyker/Shutterstock)

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Scientists have pieced together how a cave lion died some 48,000 years ago at the hands of Neanderthals, and the picture they’ve painted is pretty grisly.

Lions loomed large in the psyche of Stone Age hominins, who painted them on cave walls and carved their likenesses into bone and ivory ornaments. Neanderthals competed with them for food, but evidence of their direct interaction has remained scarce.

Neanderthal Hunting Techniques Discovered

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