Bones found in a Somerset cave have been linked to human cannibalism 15,000 years ago, but new analysis of markings suggests symbolic meaningEngraved bones unearthed in a Somerset cave have revealed new evidence of macabre cannibalistic rituals carried out by early humans in Britain. Some suggested the individuals had been consumed not for nutrition, but as a homage to the spirits of the dead. Others floated the possibility of “crisis cannibalism”, where fellow humans were eaten in the throes of hunger and desperation during a harsh winter. The latest analysis, focusing on a single radius bone, partially resolves this question by suggesting that there was at least some element of ritual in the gory proceedings. “This is the first time this kind of pattern has been seen on a human bone from this time period,” said Stringer.

Source: The Guardian August 09, 2017 18:00 UTC