The entrance to the Maszycka Cave in southern Poland (Credit: Darek Bobak)

GÖTTINGEN, Germany — A cave in Poland has provided disturbing evidence about how some of our ancestors lived 18,000 years ago. Scientists studying ancient human remains from the the Maszycka Cave near Krakow have found clear signs that at least 10 people, including children, were not just killed, but eaten by other humans.

Over a century ago, researchers discovered human bones mixed among stone and bone tools and the remains of Ice Age animals. Additional excavations in the 1960s uncovered more human remains, bringing the total to 63 bones from ten individuals dating back 18,000 years. This collection represents one of the most important finds of human remains from the late Upper Palaeolithic period.

These bones belonged to people from a culture known as the Magdalenian, which flourished across Europe between 17,000 and 12,000 years ago as the last Ice Age was ending. Far from being primitive, the Magdalenians were sophisticated artists and craftspeople. They created stunning cave paintings like those at Lascaux in France, carved intricate decorations into bone and antler, and developed advanced hunting technologies including sophisticated spear-throwers and harpoons.

Yet despite their cultural achievements, new research published in Scientific Reports reveals a darker side to Magdalenian society. “The wide range of artistic evidence points to favorable living conditions during this period. It therefore seems unlikely that cannibalism was practiced out of necessity,” explains Professor Thomas Terberger from the University of Göttingen’s Department of Prehistory and Early History.

The evidence from Maszycka Cave tells a grim story. Scientists examining the bones found systematic patterns of cut marks made by stone tools, deliberate breaking of bones to extract marrow, and careful processing of skulls to remove brains. According to Francesc Marginedas from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution, “The position and frequency of the cut marks, as well as the targeted smashing of bones, leave no doubt that their intention was to extract nutritious components from the dead.”

Modern technology allowed researchers to study these ancient remains in unprecedented detail. Using high-powered microscopes and 3D imaging, they documented precise patterns that distinguish human tool marks from animal bites or natural damage. These marks show the bodies were systematically butchered shortly after death, rather than processed later as part of burial rituals.

The victims included six adults and four young people, with ages ranging from around six years old to adulthood. The mix of ages suggests an entire family group may have been targeted. Their remains weren’t carefully buried but instead were discarded alongside animal food waste, indicating they were treated as prey rather than respected members of the community.

This discovery isn’t isolated. Similar evidence has emerged at other Magdalenian sites across Europe, including Gough’s Cave in England and Brillenhöhle in Germany. Together, these findings suggest that cannibalism may have been more widespread during this period than previously thought.

The timing and location of these events provide important context. The Maszycka Cave site sits at the easternmost edge of Magdalenian territory, far from their main population centers in western Europe. As the climate warmed following the last Ice Age, human populations were growing and expanding into new territories. This expansion likely led to increased competition for resources and territorial conflicts between different groups.

The isolation of Maszycka Cave may have made its inhabitants particularly vulnerable. Archaeological evidence suggests they were part of a small group that had ventured far from the main centers of Magdalenian culture. In this frontier setting, violent encounters with other groups might have been more common.

The careful analysis of the bones reveals the sequence of events. First, bodies were systematically skinned and dismembered, with sharp stone tools leaving distinctive marks on the bones. Then, major muscle groups were removed, leaving parallel scratches where tools scraped against the bone. Finally, bones were broken open to access the nutritious marrow inside, using specific techniques that left characteristic fracture patterns.

Even more telling is what’s missing. Many of the smaller bones from hands and feet are absent, a pattern often seen at other prehistoric cannibalism sites. The bones that remain show no signs of ritual treatment or careful arrangement, they were simply discarded along with other food waste.

Population growth following the last Ice Age may have sparked violent conflicts over resources and territories. The evidence suggests this wasn’t ritualistic cannibalism but rather an act of violence, possibly between competing groups. As Marginedas explains, this might be “an example of violent cannibalism” reflecting broader social tensions as populations expanded and competed for resources.

The research at Maszycka Cave reveals both the sophistication and brutality of Ice Age societies. As populations expanded and competed for resources, some groups resorted to extreme violence, leaving evidence that has survived for 18,000 years in these carefully studied bones.