Ancient Humans Dismembered And Removed Flesh From Corpses 6,000-Years-Ago, According To A Recent Analysis Of Bones Found Buried Within Two Large Stone Tombs From The Neolithic Period
Decades ago, archaeologists in Spain unearthed two large stone tombs from the Neolithic period at Los Zumacales and La Cabaña.
The tombs date back to the fourth millennium B.C. and contained the remains of over two dozen men, women, and children. In addition, there were flint arrowheads, stone tools, bone awls, and pottery fragments.
Recently, it has been discovered that a large number of the bones belonging to the individuals buried in the tombs had signs of fractures that occurred around the time of their deaths. This indicated that ancient people dismembered and removed flesh from corpses 6,000 years ago.
According to researchers, between 70 and 90 percent of the bones had been fractured. There were “butterfly-shaped” fractures on arm bones that were the result of a force that was applied perpendicularly.
Some other bones had marks from impacts as well, which seemed to have come from a banging force. Additionally, V-shaped cuts were detected, and those were likely made by stone tools used to remove flesh from the deceased.
While it is difficult for researchers to determine the reasoning behind the fractures and cuts, they believe it’s a possibility that the bone injuries were part of a series of funerary practices that were performed by the living as a way to deal with death.
An archaeologist at the University of Valladolid in Spain named Angélica Santa-Cruz stated that the practices may have been for the purpose of speeding up the decomposition process. Alternatively, the bones could’ve been worshipped as funerary relics.
With so little evidence at their disposal, the researchers were not able to confirm or deny the theory of funerary cannibalism. It was common for ancient humans to engage in cannibalism.
Many examples were found in northwestern Europe, especially during the Upper Paleolithic period, which occurred 35,000 to 10,000 years ago.
PhotoFires – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
The fracture patterns on the bones could be a clue pointing toward funerary cannibalism, but more evidence is needed before such a claim can be made.
It is hoped that similar studies on bones from other tombs in the region may reveal clearer answers.
Overall, the new information from the analysis of the bone fragments has offered experts a deeper look into the funerary rituals of prehistoric communities from the late Neolithic period in the Iberian Peninsula, proving that the manipulation of human bones was a significant part of the process.
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