Early Humans Exhibit Earliest Cannibalism Evidence in Spain

Archaeologists at the Gran Dolina site in Burgos, Spain, have uncovered compelling evidence of cannibalism among early human ancestors, dating back approximately 850,000 years. The discovery centers on the vertebra of a child aged between two and five years, which bears precise cut marks indicative of intentional decapitation and systematic meat processing, similar to those found on animal bones consumed by Homo antecessor. This finding supports the view that cannibalism was not an isolated event but a repeated behavior, possibly serving nutritional, social, or territorial purposes. Homo antecessor, considered a key ancestor species, displayed systematic exploitation of human remains as food, which may represent one of the earliest documented cases of such behavior in Europe. Researchers also suggest these practices could have played a role in social control and survival strategies within early human communities. The Gran Dolina site has yielded over 160 bone fragments from at least eleven individuals, reinforcing the continuity and significance of cannibalistic practices in prehistoric times.