Ancient Europeans ate the brains of their dead enemies 18,000 years ago, researchers discover

On the left, a human jaw is shown in occlusal (chewing) view; only three molars remain in the back. On the right, a fragment of a left human scapula is shown within a white outline of the bone; there appears to be a label stuck to it.

Human remains discovered in a cave in Poland have revealed that ancient European groups cannibalized the dead in an act of war. A new analysis of cut marks and fractures on the bones suggest people removed the ears and scooped out the brains of their vanquished enemies shortly after they died.

In a study published Thursday (Feb. 6) in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers detailed the evidence of cannibalism they found on 53 bones from Maszycka Cave, an archaeological site near Krakow, Poland. The bones were dated to 18,000 years ago, during the Magdalenian period of European prehistory, and came from at least 10 people: six adults and four children.