NEANDERTHAL GOURMETS REGULARLY FEASTED ON ROASTED CRAB

The discovery of cooked crab shells in a Lisbon cave is further evidence that the early hominids had a sophisticated culture

While once thought to be lumbering, slow-witted brutes, evidence has mounted over the past decade that the Neanderthals had a rich culture. They were capable hunters and toolmakers, created art and ate a varied diet that included cooked food.

Now, researchers from Spain's Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHESCERCA) have found further evidence of our closest relatives' cooking skills and discerning palates. They visited Portugal's Gruta da Figueira Brava cave, which Neanderthals were known to inhabit, and unearthed charred shells of brown crabs that date back 90,000 years.