[ad_1]
According to a new study, cannibalistic human ancestors would kill themselves and eat each other because it was "more profitable" than catching animals.
Researchers in Spain have found archaeological evidence showing "undeniable signs of cannibalism" in an ancient human species called Homo antecessor and Neanderthals.
The analysis revealed that cannibalism was a good survival technique for the predecessors of Homo sapiens because they should have spent much less time and energy in capturing other humans than faster animals, although their flesh is more calorific.
The study, published in the Journal of Human Evolution, states that human flesh would have been equally nutritious for primitive peoples.
The bones of seven individuals with traces of human consumption were discovered at the archaeological site of Gran Dolina in Spain.
Traces of teeth, cuts and fractures made intentionally to expose the bone marrow are evidence of human consumption.
Human remains were found among nine other mammal species, including deer and 22 non-consumed individuals.
The Homo antecessor is one of the oldest human varieties discovered in Europe and lived there about a million years ago.
The main author of the study, Jesús Rodríguez, said: "Our analyzes show that the Homo antecessor, like any predator, was choosing its prey according to the principle of optimizing it. cost-benefit balance. classified "type of prey.
"This means that, compared to other prey, humans could get a lot of cheap food."
Archaeologists have also suggested that the cannibals may have eaten members of their own group when they died from other causes.
[ad_2]
Source link