Human cannibalism in the Early Pleistocene of Europe (Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain)

doi:10.1006/jhev.1999.0324

Journal of Human Evolution

Volume 37, Issues 3–4, September 1999, Pages 591-622

https://doi.org/10.1006/jhev.1999.0324 Get rights and content

Abstract

Human remains belonging to at least six individuals were found in an exploratory excavation made at the site of Gran Dolina (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). These remains were recovered from the Aurora Stratum of Unit TD6. This stratum has a thickness of approximately 30 cm. The area of the exploratory excavation is about 7 m². According to palaeomagnetic analyses, Unit TD6 shows reversed polarity, which is considered to belong to the Matuyama chron. This unit is immediately below TD7, where the Matuyama–Brunhes boundary has been detected, indicating an age of around 780,000 years BP.

There is no specific distribution, treatment, or arrangement of the human remains, which were found randomly mixed with abundant faunal remains and stone tools. Most of the faunal and human fossil bones from the Aurora Stratum have human induced damage. Stone tool cutmarks are frequent, and peeling (a type of fracture similar to bending a fresh twig between the hands) provides a specific breakage pattern together with percussion marks and chopmarks. Both nonhuman and human remains show similar intensive exploitation. Slight differences, however, have been observed between fauna and humans (e.g., peeling frequent in humans, rare in fauna), that appear related to different musculature, weight, and bone structure. The characteristics of this fossil assemblage suggest that it is solely the result of consumptive activities as there is no evidence of ritual or other intention. The possibility of distinguishing between dietary vs. survival cannibalism is discussed here.

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Regular ArticleHuman cannibalism in the Early Pleistocene of Europe (Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain)

Abstract

J. hum. Evol.

J. Archaeol. Sci.

J. hum. Evol.

J. hum. Evol.

J. hum. Evol.

J. Anthrop. Archaeol.

Climate record in cave deposits. The Atapuerca TD case

Natural modifications to bones in a temperate setting

Man

The Man Eating Myth: Anthropology Anthropol

Cannibalism, from Sacrifice to Survival

A hominid from the Lower Pleistocene of Atapuerca, Spain: Possible ancestor to Neandertals and modern humans

Science

Bones: Ancient Men and Modern Myths

Some evidences for ideologies of early man

Percussion marks on bone surfaces as a new diagnostic of hominid behavior

Nature

The contribution of Namib desert Hottentots to an understanding of australopithecine bone accumulations

Scientific Paper Namib Desert Res. Stn.

Microscopic criteria for the determination of directionality of cutmarks on bone

Am. J. phys. Anthrop.

Cannibalism among wild chimpanzees

Nature

The litho-technical assemblage of the Sierra de Atapuerca in the frame of the Iberian Middle Pleistocene

Lower Pleistocene hominids and artefacts from Atapuerca-TD6 (Spain)

Science

Marked human bones from Gough's cave, Somerset

Proc. Univ. Bristol Spelaeol. Soc.

Zooarchaeology and taphonomy of Aurora Stratum (Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain)

J. hum. Evol.

Evidence of Early Cannibalism

Science

Cutmarks on small mammals at Olduvai Gorge Bed-I

J. hum. Evol.

Additional evidence for cannibalism in the Southwest: the case of LA 4528

Am. Antiq.

Paleovegetación del Pleistoceno Medio de Atapuerca a través del análisis polı&#x0301;nico

Carnivores from the Early Pleistocene hominid-bearing Trinchera Dolina 6 (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain)

J. hum. Evol.

Life and death at Gombe

Nat. Geogr. Mag.

Regular Article
Human cannibalism in the Early Pleistocene of Europe (Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain)

Paleovegetación del Pleistoceno Medio de Atapuerca a través del análisis polı́nico