Cannibal Britons?

[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.

[Drac]

It's interesting that outside of the more disgusting aspects I've talked with "treasure" hunters and they say that the best spots are around the outhouse sites. Lots of things dropped out of pockets. Even talked to a student (history major) and they are doing the same thing. In this case they are working in the San Diego Red Lamp District.

Jim

[kiltedRTR]

Yeah,
As an archaeologist I'd have to say I would believe in Cannibalism being present there if they can find coprolites. But that may be difficult in the wet environment of the British Isles.
Also, drinking from skull cups doesn't mean cannibalism. They could be considered trophy pieces, a common occurance in some Native American Cultures throughout time.
But I'm probably just talking out of my a$$ so don't pay attention to this please if you are more experienced in such matters, please.

[Pleater]

Lord Kitchener is supposed to have had the skull of the 'Mad Mahdi' and used the upper curve as a bowl, ash tray or the like, until the Old Queen found out about it and was not amused by the discovery. The parts of the skull were reported as being reunited and given a decent burial.

The inhabitants of Northern England were reduced to cannibalism by the 'Harrowing of the North' ordered by William the Bastard, (1069ad) as all implements used for the tilling of the fields and gardens, all animals used for food or burden or tilling the soil were taken or driven away or killed and burned, and all stocks of food destroyed, and even the pots used for cooking, storage and carrying of food and drink smashed. Hedges and orchards, sources of fruit and foods were cut down so that there was nothing to keep people alive.

[beloitpiper]

Yeah,
As an archaeologist I'd have to say I would believe in Cannibalism being present there if they can find coprolites. But that may be difficult in the wet environment of the British Isles.
Also, drinking from skull cups doesn't mean cannibalism. They could be considered trophy pieces, a common occurance in some Native American Cultures throughout time.
But I'm probably just talking out of my a$$ so don't pay attention to this please if you are more experienced in such matters, please.

As somebody with an archaeology degree, I'd have to agree with this.

Also, they said the bones had "clean cuts". 14,700 years ago, the Mesolithic period, it was pretty hard to make a clean cut of anything. Most of Britain was still covered in ice and was a pretty barren place.

[macwilkin]

The Skull of the Comyn
According to legend, in the 14th century, a younger son of a Grant of Stratherrick ran off with a daughter of the MacGregor Chief, the MacGregor's being a very powerful clan at this time. They fled to a cave near-by the present castle, today called "Huntly's Cave", where they were set upon and much harrassed by the Chief of Comyn and his people, who were none too happy with these new settlers on their lands. Meanwhile, the MacGregor Chief and his men, catching up with the couple, were received graciously and with much hospitality by Grant and his retinue, and were welcomed into their hideaway. The Grant supposedly gave a feast and arranged the comings and goings of his men such that they appeared as a large force about him, and the MacGregor Chief was so impressed that he forgave the couple and even agreed to help his son-in-law against the Comyns.


The very next morning the Grants and MacGregors stormed the castle and in the process slew the Comyn Chief - and kept the Chief's skull as a trophy of this victory. Another variation of this tale is that a Comyn ran off with a Grant woman. Her father and a number of Grant men pursued the couple and one of the Grants slew the Comyn, decapitating him with his large two handed sword. In either event, the skull of the Comyn was taken as a macabre trophy and was kept in Castle Grant and became an heirloom of the Clan. (In the late Lord Strathspey's book on the Clan, he mentions that the top of the cranium was hinged, and that he saw documents kept in it.)* Clan tradition predicts grave things if the skull ever leaves the hands of the family - prophecying that the Clan would lose all of its lands in Strathspey. One can only hope it is still safely in the hands of our Clan!

*Emphasis mine.

-- http://www.clangrant-us.org/castle-grant.htm

[Jack Daw]

As somebody with an archaeology degree, I'd have to agree with this.

Also, they said the bones had "clean cuts". 14,700 years ago, the Mesolithic period, it was pretty hard to make a clean cut of anything. Most of Britain was still covered in ice and was a pretty barren place.

So, the most you could say is that the Brits have been using bone china for longer than originally thought.