The Troisième caverne of Goyet has yielded the largest assemblage of Neandertal remains in Northern Europe with clear evidence of anthropogenic modifications. However, its skeletal fragmentation has long limited detailed morphological and behavioural study on the assemblage. In this study, we integrate palaeogenetic, isotopic, morphometric, and structural analyses of the long bones to assess the biological profiles of the Neandertals from Goyet and explore whether they present particularities that could shed light on the formation of this unique cannibalised assemblage. We identify a minimum of six individuals, including four adult or adolescent females. Compared to Homo sapiens and Neandertals—including regional specimens—the females from Goyet display short statures and reduced diaphyseal robusticity of their long bones. They lack skeletal markers associated with high mobility despite isotopic evidence for non-local origins. The overrepresentation of short, morphologically gracile, non-local females, alongside two immature individuals, suggests a strong selection bias in the individuals present at the site. Dated between 41,000 and 45,000 years ago, a period marked by Neandertal cultural diversity, biological decline and the arrival of Homo sapiens in Northern Europe, the cannibalised female and juvenile Neandertals from Goyet indicate exocannibalism, possibly linked to inter-group conflict, territoriality, and/or specific treatment of outsiders.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2025
Whereas environmental studies are today an important part of urban archaeological research in many towns and cities in Europe, they often focus on individual sites and do not always result in larger syntheses. To exploit the full potential of urban environmental studies in Brussels, Belgium, a specific framework has been developed, explicitly aimed at coping with the inherent complexity of urban investigations, including the variety of research themes that need to be dealt with, the challenges of fast-evolving environmental research, and how to address the needs of different stakeholders. This article discusses how the framework was created, the challenges that have been dealt with over the past few decades, and how we can further improve the framework for the future.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2025
