The Magdalenian peoples of the European Ice Age left little of themselves behind. Today, their bones are few and far between, found typically in isolation and in fragments. But the remains from one 18,000-year-old assemblage tell us one thing: The Ice Age was a tough time to have enemies.
Assessing the markings on Magdalenian remains from Maszycka Cave in southern Poland, a team of researchers has determined that the Magdalenian peoples dissected and cannibalized their dead around 18,000 years ago — a treatment that they likely reserved for their enemies. According to the researchers, who revealed their results in a study in Scientific Reports this month, the markings provide insight into the tensions of Magdalenian life, which were probably amplified as a result of the improving climatic conditions of the time.
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