'The way the bone was modified suggests that the filleting of human bodies during cannibalism and the engraving of this human bone were intricately related, as part of a ritual,' says Dr Bello. The new research reinforces these findings. The craniums were removed from the rest of the skull and rough edges chipped off to produce bowl-like objects, showing that the living inhabitants were not just treating the deceased as food. Some of the skulls in the cave show evidence of having been carefully modified to produce skull- cups, rather than roughly stripped of their flesh. While the exact intent of the inhabitants' cannibalistic practices will never be certain, previous discoveries already suggested that it was not simply a matter of cannibalism for survival. However, there is no indication on the skeletons that the humans had suffered violence, so it is likely that they died of natural causes. Many of the human bones show human teeth marks, and have been broken open so that the marrow could be extracted. Characteristic scratches and marks on the human bones show that they were butchered in the same manner and with the same tools as animal bones. Through excavations, scientists found human bones intermingled with butchered animal remains, and a range of flint, bone and ivory artefacts.Įarlier studies carried out by the Museum established the cannibalistic habits of the inhabitants. The human remains date from around 14,700 years ago, when the cave was occupied by Ice Age Britons. 'The sequence of modifications performed on this bone suggests that the engraving was a purposeful component of the cannibalistic practice, rich in symbolic connotations,' says Dr Silvia Bello, researcher in human origins at the Museum and lead author on the study. Natural History Museum-led research on the human remains from Gough’s Cave shows that a forearm bone was filleted, then marked with a zig-zag pattern before being broken open to extract the bone marrow.
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