Cannibalism vs War in Hominins: Professor R. Brian Ferguson

 

Brian Ferguson

5:25 PM (2 hours ago)

to me

Hi,

 Cannibalism is really hard to figure.  In the deep archaeological record, by far the most cases are pre Homo sapiens, such as heidelbergensis and antecessor, even neandertal (maybe).  Gough cave itself is ambiguous as to cannibalism.  Recent southwestern US cannibalism with the Anasazi seems associated with, not war, but killing witches.  But there is at least one area of—we killed them, now we eat them.  In Ethnography, all variations are seen.  No one should assume war on the basis of cannibalism alone.