Toddler bone remains may be earliest evidence of cannibalism in Europe
New bone discovery leads to gruesome revelation
- Decapitated remains of an infant, dated to 850,000 years ago, were discovered at the Gran Dolina archaeological site in Burgos, Spain.
- The child's vertebra shows clear cut marks and defleshing, consistent with intentional decapitation and processing like prey, indicating cannibalism.
- This discovery, attributed to the human ancestor species Homo antecessor, may represent the earliest evidence of cannibalism in Europe.
- Archaeologists from IPHES state that the precision of the cuts suggests a systematic practice of human meat consumption by this ancient species.
- The findings hint at early humans exploiting their peers for food or territorial control, with researchers expecting more human remains in unexcavated layers.