Press release: Evidence of cannibalism 18,000 years ago

No. 23 - 10.02.2025

Researchers analyse traces of manipulation of human remains from Maszycka Cave

An international research team including the University of Göttingen has gained new insights into the burial rituals of Late Ice Age societies in Central Europe. Signs of human remains from the Maszycka Cave in southern Poland being manipulated indicate systematic dissection of the deceased, as well as cannibalism. The research was published in Scientific Reports.

The Maszycka Cave in Poland is a significant excavation site for the late Upper Palaeolithic times. More than 100 years ago, researchers discovered human bones there among stone and bone tools alongside the remains of hunted Ice Age animals. These discoveries were associated with a late Ice Age society in France, known as the Magdalenian, that existed between 20,000 and 14,500 years ago. Excavations in the 1960s yielded more human remains, so that a total of 63 bones from ten individuals dating back 18,000 years were available for examination. This is one of the most important collections of human remains from the late Upper Palaeolithic.

Using modern methods, the team identified 36 bone fragments, which showed signs that the individuals were dissected immediately after death. Cut marks on skull fragments indicate that the muscle attachments and scalp were removed before the long bones were smashed to get to the bone marrow. First author Francesc Marginedas from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution explains: “The position and frequency of the cut marks, as well as the targeted smashing of bones, leave no doubt that their intention was to extract nutritious components from the dead.”

But how and why did cannibalism happen here? The Magdalenian are known for their impressive art – such as the famous cave paintings at Lascaux. “The wide range of artistic evidence points to favourable living conditions during this period. It therefore seems unlikely that cannibalism was practised out of necessity,” says Professor Thomas Terberger from the Department of Prehistory and Early History at the University of Göttingen. Marginedas adds: “It is possible that this was an example of violent cannibalism. After the last Ice Age, there was population growth, and that may have led to conflicts over resources and territories. And there is evidence of isolated incidences of cannibalism in connection with violent conflict. Furthermore, human remains were found mixed with settlement debris in the Maszycka Cave, which indicates that the dead were not treated with respect.” The results help to improve our understanding of the cultural development and group-dynamics in the Late Ice Age society.

Original publication: Francesc Marginedas et al. New insights of cultural cannibalism amongst Magdalenian groups at Maszycka Cave, Poland. Scientific Reports (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-86093-w

Contact:

(Enquiries in English or German):

Professor Thomas Terberger

University of Göttingen

Department for Prehistory and Early History

Nikolausberger Weg 15, 37073 Göttingen

and

Lower Saxony State Office for Heritage

Scharnhorststrasse 1, 30175 Hannover, Germany

Tel: +49 (0)171 3565493

Email: thomas.terberger@phil.uni-goettingen.de

(Enquiries in English or Spanish):

Francesc Marginedas

Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES-CERCA)

Zona Educacional nº 4

Campus Sescelades URV

43007 Tarragona, Spain

E-Mail: francescm63@gmail.com