Homo antecessor fossils reveal cannibalism among adults in Spain (photos+videos)

Popular on Web archaeologySpain Homo antecessor fossils reveal cannibalism among adults in Spain (photos+videos) Anaskafes Ispania Apolithomata K 1 Relevant News Homo antecessor fossils reveal cannibalism among adults in Spain (photos+videos) 7 August 2026 Bus driver kicked explosive drone out of the air at German airport, lawmaker says 7 August 2026 Road works on Famagusta-Larnaca highway completed, lane reopens 7 August 2026 Newsroom 7 August 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber New fossil finds from the Gran Dolina cave in Spain show that Homo antecessor, one of the earliest human species identified in Europe, practised cannibalism on adults as well as children, researchers say. More than 30 years after Homo antecessor fossils were first identified, excavations at Gran Dolina in northern Spain continue to yield new evidence about the biology, social relationships and practices of these ancient humans, who lived around 850,000 years ago. The new finds include more than 20 fossils, among them skull fragments, vertebrae, hand and foot bones, teeth, and sections of major bones such as the femur, tibia and humerus. Newly excavated bones from Gran Dolina cave in Spain reveal an ancient human relative practiced cannibalism on adults and children, but researchers still don't know why. https://t.co/yI01SueuPY— Live Science (@LiveScience) July 27, 2026 The most significant detail, researchers said, is that several of the bones carry cut marks, which they believe show the bodies were processed after death, most likely as part of cannibalistic practices. New finds reshape the picture of Homo antecessor Homo antecessor’s first fossils were discovered at Gran Dolina in 1994, but for years scientists had a limited picture of the group, since most finds involved children and young individuals. The latest excavation season brought to light, for the first time in significant numbers, the remains of adults, allowing researchers to better study the population’s demographics and social structure. Remains of 24 Homo antecessor fossils recently discovered at the Gran Dolina site in Spain revealed cut marks associated with cannibalism https://t.co/qiJrz8xZay— Gürkan Ergin (@gurkan_ergin) July 31, 2026 “Each excavation season helps us fill in a puzzle that still has many missing pieces,” said Andreu Ollé, co-director of the excavation and a researcher at the Catalan Institute of Human Palaeoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES). He explained that the growing number of individuals identified, and in particular the presence of more adults, allows scientists to approach the population in a far more complete way. The bone marks that revealed cannibalism The cut marks on the bones are among the most striking elements of the discovery. Researchers say the marks were made while the bodies were being processed, in a manner similar to that seen on animals butchered for consumption. Decapitation of a child 850,000 years ago reveals new evidence of cannibalism at AtapuercaA newly discovered human cervical vertebra from the Gran Dolina site in the Sierra de Atapuerca in Spain, has provided new evidence of cannibalism…More info: https://t.co/ocK8vjXz3S pic.twitter.com/UFFQjM2hNg— Archaeology News Online Magazine (@Archaeology_Mag) August 5, 2025 Until now, evidence had pointed to Homo antecessor likely practising cannibalism mainly because cut marks had been found on the bones of younger individuals. The new finds show the practice was not limited to children or adolescents. “The discovery of more adult individuals, some of which also bear cut marks, shows that cannibalism did not involve only younger individuals,” said Palmira Saladié, an IPHES researcher, adding that the new evidence offers a more representative picture of Homo antecessor’s biology, demographics and behaviour. A window into Europe 850,000 years ago Gran Dolina is significant not only for its human fossils. The same layers have yielded tools made of flint, quartzite, sandstone and quartz, along with the bones of animals that lived in the area or formed part of the diet of these ancient humans, including remains of deer, horses, cattle, hyenas, beavers and rhinoceroses. About 850,000 years ago, an early human species called Homo antecessor practiced cannibalism, including eating young children. This conclusion comes from a child’s neck bone found in the Gran Dolina cave in Spain. The bone had precise cut marks showing the head was deliberately…— A.T.M. Saeb (@DrAmrSaeb) July 29, 2025 The combination of human fossils, tools and animal remains allows scientists to reconstruct, in exceptional detail, a snapshot of life in Europe almost a million years ago. “The importance of Gran Dolina goes far beyond the human fossils. The relationship between the tools, the animal remains and the Homo antecessor bones allows us to reconstruct a site of human presence from 850,000 years ago,” Ollé said. Excavations continue Despite the significant finds, scientists believe the site still has many secrets to reveal. The excavation is ongoing, and researchers expect future work seasons to yield further evidence on the evolution, social organisation and way of life of the first Europeans. Pante says hominins butchered a child at Gran Dolina, but maybe not to eat him. Relax, they weren’t savages, just dismembering kids for fun. Oddly, he had no problem calling it cannibalism at Koobi Fora, over a single “cut-marked” shin bone. Consistency. https://t.co/x4zg4QA7Ms— Antonio Rodríguez-Hidalgo (@WhiteRabbit36) August 2, 2025 “We have only just begun excavating this new area, and the first results already point to its huge scientific potential,” said Marina Mosquera, director of IPHES. Gran Dolina is emerging as one of Europe’s most important archaeological sites, offering a rare glimpse into a world hundreds of thousands of years removed from modern humans, one in which survival may have included practices that would shock us today, such as cannibalism. 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