Archaeologists have discovered new Homo antecessor remains bearing traces of butchery with stone tools in the Gran Dolina cave in Spain. The finds included adult bones, indicating that cannibalism was not limited to children and adolescents. This was reported by Live Science on July 27.
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Homo antecessor (Pioneer Man) is an extinct species of early humans that lived between 1.2 million and 800,000 years ago. Key characteristics include being the earliest evidence of humans in Western Europe, possessing modern-type facial features alongside an archaic brain structure, and documented instances of cannibalism.
Research was conducted in layer TD6.2—known as the Aurora stratum—within the Sierra de Atapuerca archaeological complex in northern Spain. The deposits are estimated to be approximately 850,000 years old. Specialists recovered at least 24 human fossil specimens. These included a temporal bone fragment, cervical and lumbar vertebrae, hand and foot phalanges, three teeth, an ulna, and parts of the tibia, femur, and humerus. Several fragments bore cut marks resulting from the processing of the bodies.
Previously, the majority of Homo antecessor remains from this layer belonged to children and adolescents. Consequently, researchers had hypothesized that the victims were primarily young and physically more vulnerable members of rival groups. However, the new findings demonstrate that this practice also extended to adults.
“The discovery of a larger number of adult individuals—some of whose remains also bear cut marks—shows that cannibalism was not limited to young people,” noted Palmira Saladié, a researcher at IPHES-CERCA.
Teeth discovered in 2026 have allowed for the preliminary identification of yet another adult individual. According to IPHES-CERCA, the minimum number of Homo antecessor individuals whose remains were found in layer TD6.2 is now estimated at 12–15. The exact figure remains to be determined following further analysis.
Alongside the human bones, archaeologists discovered tools made of flint, quartzite, sandstone, and quartz, as well as the remains of hyenas, beavers, deer, horses, rhinoceroses, and other animals. Previous studies have shown that both human and animal bodies were butchered in a similar manner and that the bones were discarded in the same location after consumption. These findings are viewed as evidence of nutritional—rather than exclusively ritual—cannibalism.
However, scientists have not yet established why Homo antecessor consumed members of their own species, nor whether the victims belonged to the same group or came from rival communities. Further study of the finds will help determine the duration of such episodes, the age demographics of the individuals, and the social organization of this ancient European population.
On July 19, Live Science reported the discovery of a ritual mask featuring human hair in Peru. The artifact is made of wood and adorned with a textile headband; it dates back approximately 1,000 years. According to archaeologists, the mask served as a “false head” for ritual burials on Peru’s central coast.
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