Neanderthals organized living spaces and waste disposal near Barcelona

Archaeologists found that Neanderthals organized their living spaces and waste disposal systems similarly to modern humans in a cave near Barcelona, Spain.

Researchers studied the Abric Romaní cave, where prehistoric humans lived between 110,000 and 40,000 years ago. The team identified a specific area in the southern part of the cave that served as a waste disposal site.

They found small piles of charcoal in this area that did not match the locations of ancient hearths, suggesting the inhabitants deliberately moved waste to a specific spot. The scientists also discovered that the cave was divided into distinct zones for sleeping and common activities. Hearth sites near the back wall were smaller and contained fewer stones and bone remains than those in the center of the site.

These findings suggest that Neanderthals maintained tidy living areas by clearing ashes from their fires and creating structured domestic environments similar to those used by modern hunter-gatherers.