What To Know
- Unveiling a violent pastThe Bronze Age is often romanticized as a period of artistic and technological development, yet recent findings illustrate a more brutal side to this era.
- A team of scientists revisited skeletal remains discovered in the 1970s, uncovering new insights into the violent end met by 37 individuals in what is now Somerset, England.
- From prehistoric times to isolated medieval incidents, such as one reported in France in 1870 during tensions with Prussia, instances have been documented but remain rare and often shrouded in myth.
In the southwest of England, archaeologists unknowingly stumbled upon a mass grave nearly fifty years ago. Recent studies on these skeletons reveal that the victims were not only massacred but also cannibalized.
unveiling a violent past
The Bronze Age is often romanticized as a period of artistic and technological development, yet recent findings illustrate a more brutal side to this era. A team of scientists revisited skeletal remains discovered in the 1970s, uncovering new insights into the violent end met by 37 individuals in what is now Somerset, England.
These bones show signs of extreme violence, with evidence suggesting that their attackers used primitive stone weapons. The victims were not only killed but dismembered and consumed in acts of anthropophagy, making this discovery unique in its ferocity.
a process of dehumanization
This gruesome event appears to have been driven by vengeance rather than survival. Unlike other historical instances where cannibalism stemmed from necessity during famine or siege, this act was meant to desecrate the bodies of enemies.
- The bones were found in Charterhouse Warren caves.
- Half of the identified victims were children or adolescents.
- The remains show signs consistent with ritualistic consumption.
The presence of children among the victims underscores the particularly barbaric nature of these events, raising questions about the social dynamics and motivations behind such acts.
cannibalism across history
Cannibalism is not unique to Bronze Age Britain; it has appeared sporadically throughout European history. From prehistoric times to isolated medieval incidents, such as one reported in France in 1870 during tensions with Prussia, instances have been documented but remain rare and often shrouded in myth.
- The earliest known cases date back 100,000 years.
- Medieval Europe saw sporadic episodes during times of crisis.
- A notable modern case involved alleged cannibalism during a lynching in France’s Hautefaye village.
Despite these occurrences, anthropophagy never became a societal norm within European cultures; instead, it served as an aberrant response to extreme circumstances or ideological motives.
reassessing bronze age violence
The findings at Charterhouse Warren challenge previous assumptions about the period’s relative peace. While most Bronze Age communities lived without fortifications, this lack of defense sometimes left them vulnerable to violent raids by neighboring tribes. However, it is essential not to generalize this era as inherently violent based on isolated events alone.The absence of defensive structures does not imply constant warfare; many groups coexisted peacefully without need for barriers against outsiders.
