Cannibalism was part of funeral rituals in Europe 15,000 years ago, according to scientists

The history of humanity was built through diverse cultural practices and rituals that are continually studied by researchers from different areas of knowledge.

Recently, research released by scholars at the Natural History Museum in London pointed out that humans in Europe 15,000 years ago maintained the practice of cannibalism for a brief period period.

They ate the dead of their groups as a result of a widespread custom in the culture. According to analyses, such behavior is associated with the Magdalenians and the archaeological site of Gough's Cave, in southeast England.

Another peculiar point of the study is that the remains, such as bones and skulls, were part of the ritual and were used to make cups and engravings.

Part of the research analyzed all archaeological sites in Europe with evidence of the practice to seek data on cannibalism. A museum staff identified bones with marks and cuts in different regions of the Europe.

(Image: The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London/Reproduction)

Cannibalism was a cultural practice in the Paleolithic

“We interpret the evidence that cannibalism was practiced on multiple occasions throughout northwestern Europe over a short period, as such practice it was part of a widespread funerary behavior among Magdalenian groups”, explained researcher Silvia Bello, a specialist in the evolution of behavior human.

Additionally, researcher William Marsh has marked 59 sites from the Upper Paleolithic period (23,000 and 14,000 years ago) with evidence of the practice.

For Marsh, this habit was frequent and was present throughout Europe, until a change in behavior was influenced by another group known as Epigravetians. After that, the bodies began to be buried.

(Image: The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London/Reproduction)

The idea that cannibalism was associated with the ritual of the Magdalenians is defended by researchers, as records indicate that they hunted and ate other animals. However, the human remains underwent careful preparation.

Another part of the study considered the genetic records of these groups to find an ancestral relationship. However, the results showed a distinction between populations.

The Magdalenians have ancestry from the “GoyetQ2” genetic group and were between Spain and France, while the Epigravetians are associated with the “Villabruna”, present in the Italo-Balkan region.

(Image: The Trustees of the Natural History Museum, London/Reproduction)

With the data, the researchers mapped these two Upper Paleolithic groups and realized that the sites with evidence of cannibalism belonged, in fact, to the “GoyetQ2” genetic group, whereas the regions with the most common burials were from “Villabruna”.

Finally, the study on the practices of cannibalism and funerary behavior of these groups will still have new phases of analysis to understand other ritualistic points that influenced the populations of that time.