Скачать или смотреть Not Just Neanderthals: the History of Human Cannibalism

Prehistoric Cannibalism in Europe
Early Evidence of Human Consumption
Millions of years ago, early human ancestors, such as Australopithecus and Homo habilis, sometimes fell prey to large predators, as evidenced by fossilized bite marks. One 1.45-million-year-old shinbone from Kenya shows stone tool cuts—possibly the earliest sign of humans butchering and perhaps eating other humans.

Types of Cannibalism
Cannibalism—eating human flesh—has occurred for different reasons:

Survival cannibalism – In times of extreme hunger or famine.

Ritual/Endocannibalism – Consuming deceased group members as part of funerary customs.
Exocannibalism – Eating enemies or outsiders, possibly as an act of dominance or in warfare.
Oldest Known Cases
Gran Dolina, Spain (~1 million years ago) – Bones of Homo antecessor shows butchering marks, suggesting repeated cannibalism, possibly related to food scarcity or conflict.

Arago Cave, France (~450,000 years ago) – Human bones were cut and broken, with some body parts missing, possibly indicating ritualistic practices.
Neanderthal Cannibalism:
Neanderthals (130,000–40,000 years ago) practiced cannibalism at several sites:
Moula-Guercy, France – Six individuals were butchered like animals.
Goyet Cave, Belgium – Cut marks and marrow extraction suggest systematic processing.
Cueva del Sidrón, Spain – Possibly linked to survival during harsh conditions.
Modern Humans (Upper Paleolithic to Bronze Age)
Evidence from later periods also points to cannibalism:
Gough’s Cave, UK (~14,700 years ago) – Human skulls shaped into cups, with chew marks on bones.
Herxheim, Germany (Neolithic) – Over 1,000 people were butchered, possibly in the context of warfare or ritual sacrifice.
Fontbrégoua, France (Neolithic) – Human bones treated similarly to animal remains.
Debates & Challenges
Some researchers argue that cut marks could result from burial or defleshing rituals, not necessarily cannibalism.
Without written records, it’s hard to determine exact motives—whether hunger, warfare, or religion.
Cannibalism was likely rare, but it did occur at different times and places for diverse reasons.
Conclusion
Prehistoric cannibalism in Europe was complex. Evidence—like bones with cut marks, fractures, and human tooth impressions—strongly suggests humans sometimes ate each other. While motives remain uncertain, future research may help us better understand when, why, and how often this occurred.