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"Neanderthal Cannibalism?" Topic


15 Posts

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2,740 hits since 5 Aug 2007
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Comments or corrections?

Cacique Caribe05 Aug 2007 11:38 a.m. PST

link
link
link

The Moula theories remind me of the gruesom scene in "Quest for Fire".

Question: Has anything new been found or discussed in academic circles about this implication?

CC

Cacique Caribe05 Aug 2007 11:44 a.m. PST

And by latest findings, I mean other than the short reference in this article from the Telegraph:

link

CC

Cacique Caribe05 Aug 2007 11:54 a.m. PST

Also about the Moula Guercy site, and also from 1999:

"The archeologists have also found no evidence that the bones were cut and broken as part of a ritual. On the contrary, they found the human bones intermingled with deer bones that were also scoured with similar cut-marks and broken into pieces, leaving very similar signatures on the animal and human remains. Both types of bones also appear to have been littered across the cave floor rather than buried, ruling out rituals as the cause.
The 78 Neanderthal bones at Moula Guercy cave come from at least six individuals: two adults, two 15 or 16-year-olds, and two six or seven-year-olds. All the skulls and limbbones were broken apart; only the hand and foot bones remained intact. Cuts across the foot, ankle, and elbow joints show that in at least one individual each, the Achilles tendon, toe-flexor tendons, and the tendon of the biceps muscle were cut.
In two of the younger individuals, the muscle used to clench the jaw was cut from the skull. Other cuts show that the thigh muscles were also removed, and in at least one case the tongue was cut out."
link

Any recent articles supporting or refuting those findings?

CC

basileus6605 Aug 2007 1:08 p.m. PST

In the site of Atapuerca (Burgos) has been excavated human remains that confirm the hypothesis of cannibalism… Check the website. Perhaps you will find it interesting.

atapuerca.com

Regards

Hrothgar Returns05 Aug 2007 1:18 p.m. PST

yum!
Maybe the scene in "Quest for Fire" was inspired by such finds.

Significant that the human bones were mixed with deer, etc.

I think similar cases have been found in pre-Columbian America that suggest cannibalism for protein, as opposed to 'ritual cannibalism'.

In the case of the Neanderthal, maybe times were hard in that region at that particular time.

Void Trekker05 Aug 2007 1:37 p.m. PST

Hrothgar Returns "Maybe the scene in "Quest for Fire" was inspired by such finds."

Or maybe the Neanderthals all saw Quest for Fire, and they got inspired.

BTW I saw that movie, and Rae Dawn Chong certainly inspired me. Though not to eat her. Well… not exactly…

evil grin

Travellera05 Aug 2007 1:55 p.m. PST

Check out:

link

Could be a cool viking scenario…

Personal logo chicklewis Supporting Member of TMP05 Aug 2007 3:33 p.m. PST

Shame on you, VoidTrekker, made me laugh.

red dreads05 Aug 2007 3:42 p.m. PST

C.C theres a book by William Golding entitled The Inheritors
Theres no cannibalism in it, but it does have a sympathetic view of the Neanderthals( and its fiction)but its a triff read . regds S

Dr Mathias Fezian05 Aug 2007 4:08 p.m. PST

Since cannibalism still goes on today, I can only imagine it happened back in the old days too.

Doctor Bedlam05 Aug 2007 10:53 p.m. PST

Only when game is scarce.

advocate06 Aug 2007 5:46 a.m. PST

I've had times when I haven't been able to get a game for quite a while, and have never been tempted by cannabalism.

:o)

Personal logo John the OFM Supporting Member of TMP06 Aug 2007 7:19 a.m. PST

It is relatively under control in the Royal Navy.

And, what do you think the Argylls ate in Aden, Arabs???

((Sorry. Someone had to do it. *grin/ ))

Cacique Caribe06 Aug 2007 8:03 a.m. PST

Doctor Bedlam: "Only when game is scarce."

Advocate: "I've had times when I haven't been able to get a game for quite a while, and have never been tempted by cannabalism.
:o) "

LOL. Good one. I must remember that.

CC

Cacique Caribe21 Jun 2009 12:47 p.m. PST

If Neanderthals did indeed succumb to cannibalism when necessary, I don't see why Sapiens would not have done the same, with other Sapiens and Neanderthals:

TMP link

Think of it. If modern humans, today and in the not too distant past, have hunted and eaten monkeys and apes, and we even have human-to-human cannibalism among many tribes today, what is there to prevent early Sapiens from indulging when the situations called for it.

Aside from situational cannibalism, there may have been some groups that developed the habit of hunting other hominids for food.

CC

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