Discovery: Anthropologists Unearth Evidence Suggesting Cannibalistic Behavior in Ancient Human Ancestor Species

Scientists have discovered the earliest evidence of cannibalistic behavior in a close relative of humans, suggesting that they butchered and consumed each other.

A study published in the journal Scientific Reports reveals the analysis of nine cut marks on a 1.45 million-year-old left shin bone from a relative of modern humans found in northern Kenya.

Researchers, including experts from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in the US, suggest that these cut marks were likely caused by stone tools.

This discovery establishes the oldest known instance of cannibalism in a human relative species with a high level of certainty and specificity.

Co-author Briana Pobiner stated, “The information we have indicates that hominins were likely consuming other hominins at least 1.45 million years ago. While other species in the human evolutionary tree have been known to consume each other, this fossil suggests that our relatives were practicing cannibalism further back in time than previously recognized.”

The fossil shin bone was first identified in the collections of the National Museums of Kenya’s Nairobi National Museum. Initially, researchers sought clues about prehistoric predators that may have hunted and consumed ancient human relatives.

While examining the shin bone for bite marks left by extinct animals, Dr. Pobiner noticed what appeared to be evidence of butchery.

Molds of the cuts were created using the same material dentists use for tooth impressions. These molds were then used to create 3D scans, which were compared to a database of marks made through controlled experiments on teeth, butchery, and trampling.

Scientists were able to positively identify nine of the 11 marks as matching the type of damage caused by stone tools, while the remaining two were likely bite marks from a large cat.

Although the cut marks alone do not prove that the individuals who made them also consumed the leg, Dr. Pobiner believes it is the most likely scenario. The cuts are located where a calf muscle would attach to the bone, an ideal spot for removing flesh.

The orientation of the marks suggests that they were made consecutively by a hand wielding a stone tool, without the need to adjust the grip or angle of attack.

Dr. Pobiner explained, “These cut marks bear a striking resemblance to those found on animal fossils processed for consumption. It seems likely that the meat from this leg was eaten for sustenance rather than as part of a ritual.”

However, scientists caution that there is not enough evidence to definitively confirm cannibalism, as it would require both eater and eaten to be from the same species.

While the fossil bone belongs to a species related to humans, it cannot be attributed to a specific hominin species due to insufficient information.

The use of stone tools also does not provide enough information to determine which species may have been responsible for the butchery.

Some researchers challenge the widely held assumption that only the genus Homo made and used stone tools.

While this fossil may indicate prehistoric cannibalism, it is also possible that it represents one human ancestor or relative consuming a member of another species.

Researchers caution against drawing conclusions about the chronological order of events based on the bite marks as well.

A lion may have scavenged the remains after the hominins removed most of the meat from the leg bone, or a large cat that killed a hominin may have been chased away before other opportunistic hominins took over.

Nevertheless, this finding underscores the importance of museum collections, according to researchers.

 

Reference

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