Scientists have found evidence that people who lived in the era of the late Paleolithic 18,000 years ago ate not only human meat, but also brains. Scientists believe that cannibalism may have been a widespread practice among ancient people of that period. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports, writes ifLsciens.

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Scientists conducted a new analysis of the human remains found in the Machitsky cave in Poland, whose age is estimated at 18,000 years. Human bones were discovered along with the remains of animals.

During the initial studies in the 90s of the last century, scientists suggested that damage to the bones of people indicate the practice of cannibalism among representatives of the Madlensky culture, who lived for more than Europe in late Paleolithic. But then this version was rejected, as a result of which the ancient people of a friend or not, the arguments of the spruce were ongoing.

Now, scientists have used new technologies for the study of 63 fragments of human bones with unprecedented details. This approach allowed scientists to identify traces of damage on the bones and turtles, which were deliberately inflicted by people, and not obtained as a result of natural processes. Traces of cuts and fractures were discovered, which indicate the preparation of human bodies for eating. At the same time, scientists found that ancient people ate not only human meat, but also the brain, as well as the bone marrow.

Scientists came to the conclusion that the bodies were cut shortly after death to avoid decomposition. In particular, there are cuts on the turtles indicating the removal of the scalp and flesh, while bone fractures are the result of attempts to remove the brain. Scientists believe that when cutting bodies, ancient people gave priority to the most nutritious parts of the body.

The authors of the study associate cannibalism in ancient people with a lack of ordinary food, funeral practice, as well as with the practice of eating killed enemies, to finally prove their superiority.

It is possible that this cannibalism could be associated with the growing tension caused by the demographic expansion that occurred after the last glacial maximum. A larger number of people could lead to more competition for food, which led to more conflicts and, ultimately, acts of cannibalism, scientists say.

Currently, throughout Europe there are five places dating from the same period of history that demonstrate obvious evidence of human cannibalism. This allows scientists to assume that cannibalism was part of the culture of ancient people in the late Paleolithic.

Perhaps cannibalism among ancient people was a widespread practice, scientists say. But you need more data to find this confirmation.

As Focus already wrote, archaeologists have found a unique decoration of more than 270,000 beads. Exploring the ancient funeral complex, scientists discovered the remains of women buried in ritual clothing from beads. According to archaeologists, this outfit played a decisive role during rituals, demonstrating the status of women.

Focus also wrote that scientists revealed new secrets of the funeral practices of ancient Egypt. Scientists first examined pink and white paste, which in ancient Egypt sealed the coffins of the dead. It turned out that these substances had a different composition.