A human radius from Gough's Cave in Somerset (~14,700 years old) bears 87 incisions arranged in four clusters across a 63mm zigzag section. Microscopic analysis shows the engraving happened after defleshing but before marrow extraction. Cut marks, percussion damage, and human tooth marks hint at possible ritual processing.
Gough's Cave radius bone shows 87 incisions in intentional clusters
EnglandArtifact
Site mentioned
Key facts
- Gough's Cave in Somerset, England dates to approximately 14,700 years old
- A human radius (forearm bone) has an engraved zigzag pattern along with cut marks from defleshing, percussion damage from breaking, and human tooth marks
- The pattern section is 63 mm across with 87 incisions arranged in four clusters
- Microscopic evidence shows the engraving was intentional, applied after flesh removal but before the bone was broken for marrow, possibly ritualistic
Sources
(PDF) An Upper Palaeolithic engraved human bone associated with ...researchgate.net
A human radius from Gough's Cave shows evidence of cut marks, percussion damage and human tooth marks, indicative of cannibalism, as well as a ...
An Upper Palaeolithic engraved human bone associated with ... - PMCpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
A human radius from Gough's Cave shows evidence of cut marks, percussion damage and human tooth marks, indicative of cannibalism, as well as a ...
An Upper Palaeolithic engraved human bone associated with ...journals.plos.org
One of the most extensive Magdalenian human bone assemblages comes from Gough's Cave, a sizeable limestone cave set in Cheddar Gorge (Somerset, UK).
Engraved bones are 'evidence of cannibalistic rituals by early humans'theguardian.com
Bones found in a Somerset cave have been linked to human cannibalism 15000 years ago, but new analysis of markings suggests symbolic ...
Cannibals engraved bones of the dead - BBCbbc.com
A series of zig-zag marks on a human bone found in a UK cave is evidence of a cannibalistic ritual that took place some 15,000 years ago.
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