Archaeological discoveries sometimes reveal a brighter side of humanity. Collecting tchotchkes that our ancestors might have used to comfort and shelter each other in the face of disaster, or making owl toys for children, shows just how compassionate we are as a species. It shows what you can have. However, other discoveries may reveal our darker side.
Even darker parts of human nature can be found in the unearthed bones. Ruins of Charterhouse Warren, Somerset, England. A research team recently analyzed more than 3,000 bones discovered there decades ago and dating back to the early Bronze Age. Here, the bodies of at least 37 people were killed, dismembered, possibly partially eaten, and then thrown into a 49-foot-deep shaft. For more information on the analysis, see The study was published Dec. 15 in the journal ancient This represents the largest example of interpersonal violence in British prehistory.
A rare and frightening discovery
Hundreds of human bones dating back to between 2500 and 1500 BC have been found in the area, but direct evidence of violent conflict is extremely rare.
Co-author of the study, Rick Schulting, an archaeologist at the University of Oxford, said: “In fact, there is more evidence of skeletal damage in Britain dating back to the Neolithic period than the Early Bronze Age, so Charterhouse Warren is a very It stands out as something unusual.” stated in a statement. “It paints a much darker picture of this era than many people expected.”
In the 1970s, Scattered bones of at least 37 people It was discovered in a shaft 49 feet deep. The bones were a mixture of men, women, and children, which probably means they were representatives of the community.
Search for motives and reasons for cannibalism
In the skull Evidence of violent death due to blunt force traumaunlike most modern burials. Researchers from multiple institutions further analyzed the bones to learn more about how these people died. They found several cuts and fractures in the bones that occurred at or near death. The team believes this is proof they were there. May have been intentionally slaughtered and partially consumed.
To find clues as to why people in early Bronze Age Britain cannibalized their dead, they examined nearby Paleolithic sites. Gough’s Cave In Cheddar Valley. The evidence found there suggests that The act of cannibalism was probably a funeral ritual. within the region. However, Charterhouse Warren is a little different. Evidence of a violent death with no signs of a fight or struggle suggests that the victim was caught by surprise. The research team believes they were all massacred and that the slaughter was likely carried out by the enemy.
[ Related: Bronze Age village was ‘pretty cozy’—until Britain’s Pompeii. ]
Large amounts of cattle bones were found among the human bones, suggesting that the people of Charterhouse Warren probably had plenty of food, making it unlikely that they were killed simply for food. .
In fact, cannibalism may have been the method. Dehumanizing the dead with “Other”. Killers would liken their enemies to animals by eating their flesh or mixing their bones with animal bones.
“Prehistoric people may be consistent with more recent atrocities.”
The conflict is Likely to be caused by social factors. Thefts and insults may have caused tensions that escalated out of proportion. In addition, two of the children their teeth have traces of the plague. Fear of such a deadly disease may have also exacerbated tensions. Scientists at the Francis Crick Institute discovered signs of plague at Charterhouse Warren. 2023 survey Schulting said the findings were “completely unexpected.” However, the research team still does not know how the epidemic affected this conflict.
Overall, the discovery of such acts of violence at Charterhouse Warren, at least in this case, A cycle of perceived contempt and revenge This may lead to violent behavior.
“Charterhouse Warren is one of those rare archaeological sites that challenges the way we think about the past,” says Schulting. “This is a stark reminder that prehistoric people could be comparable to more recent atrocities, and shines a light on the dark side of human behavior. The possibility that it was a one-off event. is low, which makes it even more important that that story is told.”
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