More and more evidence is that our ancestors resorted, at least occasionally, to cannibalism. We are not speaking in this case of other human species, such as Neanderthals, who could have practiced dozens or hundreds of thousands of years but also Homo sapiensthat had already become the only humans in Europe and the rest of the world.
New tests. A recent study led by researchers from the Catalan Institut of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolved (IPHES-CERCA) He has shown New indications of cannibalism among humans. They found them in the Polish site of the Maszycka cave, whose remains would go back about 18,000 years ago.
Europe in the Magdaleniense. This places the finding in the context of the Magdalenian period in Europe. This period that owes its name to the French site of the Madeleine covers various European settlements between 19,000 and 14,000 years old, they explain in An article for The conversation Some of the members of the study responsible for the study: Francesc Marginedas Miró, Antonio Rodriguez-Hidalgo and Palmira Saladié Ballesté, researchers from the IPHES-CERCA and CSIC.
The period follows an era of important changes in Europe, mainly derived from the end of the last era era. The ice setback left behind an ideal environment for a change in ecosystems, and with it the expansion to the north of modern humans.
From burial to the table. As the team continues, the Magdaleniense, to others of his cave paintings, also stands out for careful funeral rites, burials “with care and offerings”, at least for some of his dead. Because to others what expected them was the flint of the tools with which they were expired.
63 bones. The new analysis studied more than fifty remains found in the Polish Cave of Maszycka, located near Cracovia. They belonged to half a dozen individuals, both adults and children. The remains found together with animal remains and many with signs of having been manipulated. Despite this, the hypothesis that this manipulation responded to simple funeral rites had not been ruled out.
The new analysis has incorporated new 3D microscopy techniques in the study of brands, which has allowed distinguishing brands caused by humans from others, such as those that would have caused other carnivores. “The location and frequency of cutting marks and intentional fracturing in skelet added in a press release Marginedas.
The details of the work were published In an article In the magazine Scientific Reports.
To the core. The study revealed other details that can give us some clues of the context in which this consumption of human flesh was produced. For example, the team points out, the bodies were prosecuted shortly after death, thus avoiding the decomposition of tissues.
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Image | IPhes-Cerca