Neolithic cannibalism research in Granada caves

Archaeological research conducted in three caves in Granada—Malalmuerzo, Carigüela, and Majolicas—has identified recurring episodes of Neolithic cannibalism in southern Iberia. An international research team, including the Instituto de Arqueología de Mérida and the Institut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social, published their findings in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

By analyzing approximately one thousand human bone remains through radiocarbon dating, microscopy, and taphonomic analysis, researchers identified bone markings consistent with cutting, boiling, and percussion. The study determined that these practices were not singular or uniform events but rather three distinct episodes separated by time.

The findings suggest diverse motivations for these behaviors, ranging from nutritional necessity and hunger to ritualistic practices, funerary treatments, or collective violence. This research challenges previous assumptions about the consistency of such practices in the Iberian Peninsula, highlighting a complex range of social and survival-based behaviors among early agricultural communities.