The Neanderthal Fat Resin That Lit Torches

Long before refined oils, candles, or processed fuels existed, Neanderthals needed reliable light inside caves, shelters, and during long winter nights. Dry wood alone wasn’t enough — it burned fast, smoked heavily, and failed in damp conditions.
This video explains the Neanderthal fat–resin mixture that made long-burning torches possible tens of thousands of years ago.
You’ll learn how rendered animal fat acted as an energy-dense fuel, how tree resins thickened and stabilized the burn, and why combining the two solved problems neither could handle alone. Fat provided steady heat. Resin provided ignition strength and structure.
This wasn’t accidental. The mixture controlled drip rate, flame stability, and smoke production, allowing torches to burn longer and brighter with fewer relights. Evidence from residue analysis and cave use patterns supports intentional fuel blending — not random burning.
Modern torch fuels still rely on the same chemistry: energy density plus binding agent. Neanderthals solved it without containers, tools, or written knowledge.
This wasn’t primitive. It was optimized.
This narration is AI-generated for educational purposes and does not impersonate any real person, historical or living.