Cannibal Britons?

[Drac]

While cannibalism existed there are still cultures that used human bones as implements without cannibalism. On example would be in Buddhism skull cups/bowls.

Sorry this gets disgusting.

If they truly wished to know if cannibalism was done they would need to find some form of waste pit. The eating of human flesh leaves markers in feces. I believe amino acids. I am trying to remember a science report I read years ago (I work in the mail room of a pharmaceutical research company and would sometimes glance through the pubs) about tracing movements Aztec priests believed to have escaped. They were tracing a pattern in ritual cannibalism moving north in areas where no such practices were ever known.

On the absorbing of the enemies powers is a common concept but I never have come across in anything but in fiction. My wife thinks that the Native American may have practiced this with animals.


Jim



Jim

[Chas]

Hi Jim,

I think that the problem is that 14,700 years have elapsed. There would be very little usable material, if any at all. I have seen Viking faeces at York (Jorvik) and it is all petrified. In fact they were selling 'Viking Poo Pendants' for the ladies and cuff-links for the men, in the gift shop. The idea was that it was inert and in no way usable - and only 2,000 years old.

Regards

Chas

[sydnie7]

Hi Jim,

I think that the problem is that 14,700 years have elapsed. There would be very little usable material, if any at all. I have seen Viking faeces at York (Jorvik) and it is all petrified. In fact they were selling 'Viking Poo Pendants' for the ladies and cuff-links for the men, in the gift shop. The idea was that it was inert and in no way usable - and only 2,000 years old.

Regards

Chas

Oh, you'd be surprised. Google up Paleofeces (or Palaeofaeces, if you prefer).

[ForresterModern]

Hi Jim,

I have seen Viking faeces at York (Jorvik) and it is all petrified. In fact they were selling 'Viking Poo Pendants' for the ladies and cuff-links for the men, in the gift shop. The idea was that it was inert and in no way usable - and only 2,000 years old.

Regards

Chas

The archaeological term for petrified feces is coprolith, and they are in fact very important findings in animal archaeology, and I can only presume human archaeology as well, as a way of determining dietary habits of populations.

Not sure I would want a set of coprolith cufflinks, though.

[auld argonian]

The coprolithic thing kind of flies in the face of what I've read about. I've seen references to the regret that archaeologists and anthropologists have that human feces doesn't survive in any appreciable form that allows them to analyze the contents for clues to the dietary habits of past peoples.

Best

AA

[Drac]

The archaeological term for petrified feces is coprolith, and they are in fact very important findings in animal archaeology, and I can only presume human archaeology as well, as a way of determining dietary habits of populations.

Not sure I would want a set of coprolith cufflinks, though.

The coprolithic thing kind of flies in the face of what I've read about. I've seen references to the regret that archaeologists and anthropologists have that human feces doesn't survive in any appreciable form that allows them to analyze the contents for clues to the dietary habits of past peoples.

Best

AA

Got to wonder what makes someone wake up one day and say "I want to dedicate my life to the study of poo!!"

Jim

[auld argonian]

Got to wonder what makes someone wake up one day and say "I want to dedicate my life to the study of poo!!"

Jim

You have to have your $#!+ together to pursue that discipline!

Best

AA

[jason10mm]

I've basically given up on expecting quality journalism outside of dedicated peer reviewed journals, niche publications, and enthusiast websites such as this one.

I bet the "they are cannibals" statement came about because the writer saw a list of possible explanations for the remains in list form:

1. ritualistic burial
2. combat
3. animal activity
4. post-mortem desecration
5. Merlin did it
6. Odin did it
7. Gaia earth mother did it
8. ?cannibals?

and hey, a perfectly researched sensationalistic story is born

[Lallans]

I once saw a funny interview with a scientist who was questioned crossing the border with fossilized, or at least desert-dried, human faeces.

[Dall_Piobaire]

While cannibalism existed there are still cultures that used human bones as implements without cannibalism. On example would be in Buddhism skull cups/bowls.

Sorry this gets disgusting.

If they truly wished to know if cannibalism was done they would need to find some form of waste pit. The eating of human flesh leaves markers in feces. I believe amino acids. I am trying to remember a science report I read years ago (I work in the mail room of a pharmaceutical research company and would sometimes glance through the pubs) about tracing movements Aztec priests believed to have escaped. They were tracing a pattern in ritual cannibalism moving north in areas where no such practices were ever known.

On the absorbing of the enemies powers is a common concept but I never have come across in anything but in fiction. My wife thinks that the Native American may have practiced this with animals.


Jim

Good post,

I had seen a NATGEO documentry where in, I believe, they were tracing the footsteps of, I want to say David Eisenhaur, but I am not sure it was him. Anyway, they interviewed one of the last remaing tribesman from Papua would had actually seen cannibalism and head shrinking ceremony.
He was quite clear about the purpose, and that was to caputure can hold on to the spirit of the enemy warrior, the shrunken head, and in eating the captive, they took on the ferocity of their foe.

He said that this was performed with a tremendous amount of respect for the victem....I'll take freedom thanks.



Jim