Ancient Human Relative Homo antecessor Practiced Adult Cannibalism in Spain
Fossils recovered from the Gran Dolina cave within the Sierra de Atapuerca archaeological complex in northern Spain reveal that the ancient human relative Homo antecessor practiced cannibalism on both adults and children 850,000 years ago. According to a July 24 translated statement from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES), newly excavated bone fragments belonging to multiple adults bear distinct cut marks from stone tools, overturning previous assumptions that the behavior was restricted solely to younger, more defenseless members of rival groups.
- Excavations at Spain’s Gran Dolina cave revealed two dozen human bones and teeth bearing stone tool cut marks, dated to approximately 850,000 years ago.
- Published findings from IPHES confirm that the extinct human relative Homo antecessor cannibalized adults as well as infants and juveniles, disproving earlier theories that victims were exclusively young.
- The minimum number of individuals identified at the site has risen to at least 13, with roughly half representing adult specimens.
Stone Tools and Bite Marks Leave No Doubt
The two dozen newly recovered bones and teeth include fragments of a skull, spine, arm, and leg bones, along with three teeth representing several members of the extinct hominin species. Homo antecessor inhabited Europe between roughly 1.2 million and 770,000 years ago. The physical evidence on these specimens extends beyond simple linear incisions. According to researchers, several bones exhibit human bite marks, which biological anthropologist and work coordinator Palmira Saladié previously identified as the most definitive proof of actual consumption. Associated stone tools fashioned from flint, quartzite, and sandstone match the dimensions of the cut marks, while local animal remains—including those of hyenas, beavers, deer, horses, and rhinoceroses—display identical butchery patterns.
Overturning Assumptions About Prehistoric Victims
Prior excavations at the same subterranean site had led researchers to focus primarily on infant and juvenile remains. A 2010 study suggested that younger group members served as the primary targets because they were easier to capture and neutralize. The recent identification of adult specimens, however, forces a reevaluation of prehistoric social dynamics and resource stress among early European populations. “The discovery of more adult individuals, some of whom also bear cut marks, demonstrates that cannibalism was not restricted to younger individuals,” Palmira Saladié stated in the IPHES release. The recovery of the first-ever adult ulna, or forearm bone, from Homo antecessor at the site significantly broadens the anatomical baseline available for study.
Expanding the Demographic Spread at Gran Dolina
With the total minimum number of individuals recovered from Gran Dolina now reaching 13, researchers possess a broader demographic spread to investigate trauma, age-related dietary or ritual patterns, and population structures. Andreu Ollé, an archaeologist at IPHES, noted that the inclusion of adult specimens allows the team to understand this ancient population from a much more comprehensive perspective. Archaeologist Marina Mosquera added that excavation work in this new area of the cave has only just begun, pointing to the high scientific potential of ongoing digs.
Laboratory Analyses Target Deep Evolutionary Questions
Laboratory analyses are currently underway to determine the exact frequency, duration, and social context of the cannibalistic episodes preserved in the cave strata. While the physical evidence of butchery and consumption is robust, the underlying drivers—whether nutritional stress, territorial competition, or intergroup conflict—remain a subject of active scientific inquiry.