Archaeologists have discovered the remains of at least six people at Gough’s Cave in the Cheddar Valley in southwest England. Many of the bones were intentionally broken, and the fragments are covered in cut marks, the result of people using stone tools to separate the bones and remove the flesh. Additionally, 42 percent of the bone fragments bear human tooth marks. There is little doubt that the people who lived in this cave 14,700 years ago practiced cannibalism.
Today, cannibalism is considered taboo in many societies. We think that’s an anomaly, as evidenced by films like . texas chainsaw massacre. We associate it with zombies, psychopaths, and serial killers like the fictional Hannibal Lecter. There are very few positive stories about cannibals. But despite our preconceptions, evidence is accumulating that cannibalism was a common human behavior, so perhaps it’s time to reconsider.
Our ancestors have been eating each other for over a million years. In fact, it seems that about one-fifth of society has practiced cannibalism since ancient times. While some of this cannibalism may have been done simply to survive, in many cases the reasons appear to be more complex. For example, in places like Gough’s Cave, eating the bodies of the dead appears to have been part of the funerary ritual. Some archaeologists say cannibalism may be a way to show respect and love for the dead, rather than a horrific insult to nature.
Stories of cannibals can be found throughout human history. At Homer’s odyssey,…
(Translate tag) Evolution
