18,000-Year-Old Polish Cave Reveals Evidence of Cannibalism Among Early Europeans

Researchers identify systematic butchering of human remains linked to violent conflicts during the Magdalenian period.

Human remains from Maszycka Cave in Poland show evidence of systematic butchering, including scalping, defleshing, and brain extraction.
The findings suggest at least ten individuals, including children, were consumed as part of violent intergroup conflicts rather than survival needs.
Advanced 3D microscopy revealed cut marks and fractures consistent with nutritional exploitation shortly after death, ruling out funeral rituals.
The remains were found alongside animal bones, suggesting both were processed and consumed together during the same event.
Researchers link the practice to territorial disputes and resource competition following population growth after the Last Ice Age.