News Archaeology

Neandertals hunted cave lions at least 48,000 years ago

A new study reports the first direct evidence of the hominids slaying the big cats

A partial skeleton of a cave lion lays on a dark surface. A spear replica lies between the skull and vertebrae.

A wound on this cave lion skeleton indicates that Neandertals killed the big cat with a wooden spear, represented here by a replica of the weapon, around 48,000 years ago.

Volker Minkus, ©NLD

By Bruce Bower

Roughly 48,000 years ago, Neandertals killed a cave lion by thrusting a wooden spear into its abdomen, lion remains from Germany suggest.