Archaeologists have long been intrigued by human bones found in a Polish cave. Now, new evidence indicates that Magdalenians, who existed about 18,000 years ago, might have engaged in cannibalism. The find has set off controversy among researchers, with some opinion that ancient Europeans did not only consume human flesh but also utilized body parts as tools and ornaments.

Recent studies on the human remains uncovered in the Maszycka Cave in southern Poland have produced ample evidence that ancient Europeans practiced cannibalism. Scientists have established cuts and cracks on the bones, indicating the muscle, brain, and marrow were systematically being removed — probably for consumption.

Archaeologists at the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES-CERCA) employed sophisticated 3D scanning methods to examine the remains. Their research indicates that the manner in which the bones were broken and cut suggests deliberate butchering for consumption.

Experts are confident that the site and distribution of the cuts on the bones are the most significant evidence. For Francesc Marginedas, a researcher at IPHES-CERCA, “The location and frequency of the cut marks and the intentional fracturing of the skeleton clearly show a nutritional exploitation of the bodies, ruling out the hypothesis of a funerary treatment without consumption.”

In other words, the manner in which the bones were chopped indicates that these early humans were not merely scraping bones for burial — they were probably chopping them up for consumption.

The facts all lead in the direction of cannibalism. Scientists claim the bones demonstrate that muscle, brain, and marrow — the most nutritious areas of the body — were extracted intentionally. That would indicate the flesh was eaten as food.

Besides consuming human flesh, scientists discovered that body parts were probably used to fashion objects. The skulls were fashioned into cups used for drinking, and the bones were fashioned into jewelry.

Remains at the Maszycka Cave were first discovered in the 19th century. In the 1990s, cannibalism was mentioned first, but people did not believe it because they failed to detect bite marks. It is only recently, thanks to technology, that scientists were able to thoroughly scan the bones and determine that the bones had indeed been cut and smashed in the manner indicative of human consumption.

Cannibalism has been documented in various regions of the world throughout history, but this find verifies that it was practiced in Europe during the Magdalenian period. This discovery provides us with new information about how ancient humans lived and treated one another.

While some experts still believe the marks could have been from cleaning bones for burial, the latest evidence strongly supports the theory that these ancient Europeans were eating human flesh.

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