24 New Fossils Upend Child-Only Cannibalism Theory for Homo antecessor in Spain
Updated
Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 7
24 New Fossils Upend Child-Only Cannibalism Theory for Homo antecessor in Spain
3 articles · Updated · Yahoo! Voices · Aug 7
Summary
Twenty-four newly studied fossils from Gran Dolina in Spain show Homo antecessorcannibalism involved adults as well as children, overturning the earlier child-focused interpretation.
Bones from at least six adults dating to about 850,000 years ago carry stone-tool cut marks, and some human remains also show bite marks—evidence researchers say makes this one of prehistory's clearest cannibalism cases.
Gran Dolina now preserves at least 13 individuals, roughly half adults, suggesting the older juvenile-heavy sample had skewed archaeologists toward too narrow a conclusion.
Animal remains from horses, deer, rhinos and hyenas were processed in similar ways, indicating humans were part of a broader diet rather than the sole food source.
Ongoing excavation at the cave is expanding the sample size further, helping researchers revisit assumptions about early human diet, conflict and survival in Europe.