Notizia proveniente da Speleonet
6000 anni fa, nelle grotte del Dales, storie di cannibalismo e rituali magici. E’ ciò che emerge da ricerche effettuate nei focolari preistorici di una grotta del Dales dove sono state ritrovate ossa umane, tra cui teschi di adulti e altre ossa di animali con evidenti segni di rituali.
New research on bones discovered in six Dales caves has revealed that farming in the area dates back thousands of years – and with it a history of cannibalism. Dated bones found in caves at the western edge of the limestone uplands have been taken as evidence of rituals that involved adult skulls and other body parts along with animal bones.
The macabre finds included human bones which have been smashed up and the marrow removed, leading specialists to conclude they had been at the centre of a cannibalistic ritual. Dales farmer Tom Lord, who has been researching the caves, described the dating results as “a major breakthrough”.
“Many of the animal bones had been smashed for marrow extraction, suggesting rituals took place at the cave. The man’s tibia was also deliberately smashed for marrow extraction, suggesting at least part of his body had been eaten.”
