An international group of scholars has discovered definitive evidence that the human communities of the era Magdalenianaabout 18,000 years agopracticed the cannibalism. And not only that: it seems that they even came to consume the human brain. This research offers new and precious information on ritual and funeral practices of that prehistory period.
Our knowledge on the funerary practices of hunters-cacogliers of the upper Paleolithic in Europe are limited, since the archaeological finds of that era are extremely rare. However, some well -preserved findings have made it possible to reconstruct some aspects of the funerary rites of the Magdalenian communities.
The skeletons found show signs of ritual burials: in some cases, the bodies were covered with ocher and surrounded by funeral objects. However, in many tombs there were no parts of the skeleton, a phenomenon that was initially thought to be due to the action of necrophage animals. Another hypothesis is that the bones had been collected by the Magdalenians themselves as relics.
However, the high frequency of missing bones and the presence of human remains disarticulated And missing in multiple sites suggest a different interpretation: some segments of the body may have been deliberately selected by the men of that period for specific reasons.
Manipulation of human bones: art, tools or food?
It is known that the Magdalenians reused human bones As raw materials for the creation of objects: in some cases, they were made cranial cups and even jewels. The evidence of the intentional processing of the bones abound: in France, for example, the 40% of human remains Magdaleniani presents cutting signs or engravings.
But what do these changes really mean? Scholars have contrasting opinions. Some believe that i cutting signs On the bones they can indicate a practice of post-Morthem cleaningwhich took place shortly after death from ritual purposes. Others, however, argue that these signs are the concrete proof of the Preparation of human flesh for food consumption.
The new tests: Was cannibalism part of the Magdalenian culture?
This debate has been going on for some time, but a recent study has added new evidence in favor of the hypothesis of cannibalism. A team of international researchers analyzed 63 fragments of human bones coming from Maszycha cavein Poland, a site discovered in the nineteenth century that contained stone tools and both human and animal remains.
In the 90s, some scholars hypothesized that the skulls found on the site they presented evidence of cannibalism, but this theory was subsequently rejected since the bones did not show Signs of bites neither obvious cultural changes. However, none of these research had used advanced technologies to analyze the finds.
Now, thanks to the use of 3D microscopythe researchers re -examined the data and identified Signs of cutting and fractures consistent with the preparation of the meat for consumption. In particular, the signs on the bones demonstrate the intentional removal of muscles, brain and bone marrowall precious sources of nutrients.
Francesc marginadasthe main author of the study, said:
The position and frequency of cutting signs, together with the intentional skeleton fractures, clearly show a nutritional use of the bodies, excluding the hypothesis of a funeral treatment without consumption.
Scholars believe that the bodies have been tried shortly after death to avoid its decomposition. The skull, for example, shows specific cuts for the removal of the skin and meat, while the fractures in long bones suggest the extraction of the bone marrowa rich source of fat and calories.
Ritual cannibalism or need for survival?
The tests collected indicate one systematic manipulation human remains for food purposes. Those who practiced cannibalism seemed to select the most nutritious parts, such as the brain and bone marrow.
According to the Dr. Palmira Saladiéco -author of the study:
Cannibalism is a documented behavior in different phases of human evolution. In prehistoric contexts, it could respond to survival needs, ritual practices or even dynamics of intergroup violence.
A possible explanation is that cannibalism was linked to demographic tensions due to the expansion of human populations after the Massimo Glacial. An increase in the number of individuals could have generated greater competition for resources, leading to conflicts and, in some cases, to episodes of war cannibalism.
Currently, in Europe they have been identified five archaeological sites dating back to this period they provide unequivocal evidence of human cannibalism. With the addition of the new discoveries of the Maszycha cavescholars hypothesize that cannibalism was not an isolated phenomenon, but a widespread cultural practice among the Magdalenians, used both for the consumption of their deathsboth for the symbolic destruction of enemies. The study was published on Scientific Reports.
