Evrim Yazgin
Cosmos science journalist
An archaeological site at the Maszycka Cave in southern Poland reveals ancient burial rituals of late Ice Age humans, including dissection and cannibalism.
The researchers suggest that this could be linked to violence between groups of ancient humans at the end of the last Ice Age.
Upper Palaeolithic (50,000–12,000 years ago) human remains were first discovered at the Maszycka Cave more than 100 years ago. Among the human bones were stone and bone tools, and remains of hunted prey.
The ancient people are associated with an Ice Age society that existed 20,000 to 14,500 years ago. This Magdalenian culture is known for its impressive art, including famous cave paintings at Lascaux in southwestern France.
Magdalenian culture is preserved in sites as geographically diverse as England, France, Portugal and Poland.
In the 1960s, excavations at Maszycka Cave yielded 63 bones from 10 human individuals dating to 18,000 years ago.
New analysis published in the journal Scientific Reports shows that 36 bone fragments have signs of dissection immediately after death.
Cut marks on skull fragments show the muscle attachments and scalp were removed before the bones were smashed to get to the bone marrow inside.
“The position and frequency of the cut marks, as well as the targeted smashing of bones, leave no doubt that their intention was to extract nutritious components from the dead,” says first author Francesc Marginedas from the Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution in Spain.
Why were Magdalenian people engaged in cannibalism?
“The wide range of artistic evidence points to favourable living conditions during this period,” says Thomas Terberger from the University of Göttingen in Germany. “It therefore seems unlikely that cannibalism was practised out of necessity.”
“It is possible that this was an example of violent cannibalism,” Marginedas postulates.
“After the last Ice Age, there was population growth, and that may have led to conflicts over resources and territories. And there is evidence of isolated incidences of cannibalism in connection with violent conflict.
“Furthermore, human remains were found mixed with settlement debris in the Maszycka Cave, which indicates that the dead were not treated with respect.”
