ARCHAEOLOGISTS have unearthed evidence of cannibalism in El Mirador cave, northern Spain, offering a grisly glimpse into Neolithic violence.
Published in Scientific Reports, the study shows that a group of humans may have eaten their enemies in an act of social control and dominance, not for survival.
The remains of 11 people – adults, adolescents, and children – dating back around 5,700 years were found in the cave.
The bones show clear signs of posthumous butchery including cut marks, tooth impressions, and signs of cremation, suggesting the victims were processed and consumed after death.
“This was likely wartime cannibalism, where one group attacked and ate members of another to assert dominance,” said Francesc Marginedas, a co-author of the study.
The discovery is linked to a major shift in the region’s way of life. The site, once used to house livestock but then became a collective burial place.
“This episode signals the end of its role as a herding site and marks a deeper connection between life, death, and ritual,” said Antonio Rodríguez-Hidalgo, another researcher.
Analysis of over 650 bone fragments revealed that the remains were local to the area.There were no signs of famine, ruling out survival cannibalism, and no evidence of ritualistic burial practices.
This discovery adds to earlier findings of Bronze Age cannibalism at El Mirador, indicating that such practices persisted across centuries.
“Cannibalism might have been more widespread in prehistoric times than we previously thought,” Marginedas concluded.
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