Europe may have had human sacrifices

[Owlscrying]

June 13

Investigations of prehistoric burial sites in Europe show that the region's population may have practiced ritual human sacrifice.

The large number of multiple-burial sites, some containing skeletons of dwarfs and deformed children accompanied by ornate grave goods, suggests that human sacrifice was a custom in Europe between 28,000 and 10,000 years ago, says biologist Vincenzo Formicola of the University of Pisa in Italy.

A grave in Russia reveals the skeletons of a boy and girl, thought to be between nine and 13 years old, lying head to head alongside spears of mammoth tusk, hundreds of fox canines and thousands of ivory beads. Rich burials traditionally suggest high status.

"The enormous amount of time required to prepare all those ivory objects and the possibility that ivory beads were made specifically for the two children by a few specialists would imply that those grave goods were ready when the two children died, which in turn leads one to wonder whether this ceremony was foreseen long in advance," writes Formicola.

Rupert Housley, a professor of archaeological science at the University of Glasgow, suggested there may be other explanations for the unique burial. Housley, who is conducting a study in southern Russia on the connection between Neanderthals and modern humans, said multiple-burials were common in that period and many children died at a young age.

The site in the Czech Republic holds three skeletons of bodies aged 16-25, two males and one deformed individual the sex of whom has not been determined, according to Formicola. One lies face down, and another lies on its side, reaching toward the pubic area of the deformed skeleton.

At a site in Italy, a female skeleton appears to be holding a dwarf, aged 17, whom Formicola suggests may have received a special burial because of his physical condition.

Housley said that evidence of cannibalism has been found at sites 12,000 years ago in the same area, so if Formicola's conclusions are correct it could be part of a pattern.

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[SameerPrehistorica]

that was not fair,but anyway it is...............

[Themis]

There is also evidence of cannibalism in the Iron Age... through butchered and cooked human bone found in Ritual Pit Deposits!

[mako]

Why would barbarian Europeans be any different than barbarians for any other area....

[Grandpa Greenman]

I notice they didn't say anything about the cause of death. How can they be sure it was human sacrifice if they don't how the children died?

[signal7]

Yeah, to think its a thing of the past: Go to the next in line of a Hannibal series.

It's been dominant from those who feel inadequate when the world doesn't explode at their will, to pass through/into another. Totally.

Only trouble is, The Human Race wasn't designed/hasn't conformed to this practice exhibited within other species. It must have been learned'.

Causes major trauma within all systems of the partaker. Kind of like a massive tissue rejection in a transplant procedure. Not to mention blood borne illness and their internal handling within the system of the victim.

Yeah, I'd stay off of cannibalism. It's bad, for you.