https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-42764-0

Abstract
During the Upper Paleolithic, lions become an
important theme in Paleolithic art and are more
frequent in anthropogenic faunal assemblages.
However, the relationship between hominins and
lions in earlier periods is poorly known and
primarily interpreted as interspecies competition.
Here we present new evidence for Neanderthal-cave
lion interactions during the Middle Paleolithic.
We report new evidence of hunting lesions on the
48,000 old cave lion skeleton found at Siegsdorf
(Germany) that attest to the earliest direct
instance of a large predator kill in human history.
A comparative analysis of a partial puncture to a
rib suggests that the fatal stab was delivered with
a wooden thrusting spear. We also present the
discovery of distal lion phalanges at least 190,000
old from Einhornhöhle (Germany), representing the
earliest example of the use of cave lion skin by
Neanderthals in Central Europe. Our study provides
novel evidence on a new dimension of Neanderthal
behavioral complexity.