Paleontologists find Irrefutable evidence of child cannibalism in Atapuerca. More than 800,000 years ago, in what is now Burgos, Spain, some of the first humans to live in Europe walked through the mountains of Atapuerca. Today, those same mountains are one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. And recently, paleontologists working in a section called Gran Dolina have made a discovery that confirms something they had long suspected: early humans in this area practiced cannibalism, including on children.
This is not just an idea or theory. Researchers have found bones with clear marks showing that they were cut, broken, and processed in ways identical to the treatment given to animal remains from the same time, such as deer or horses. So, let’s learn more about this discovery.
The Key Evidence
In 2025, paleontologists found a small vertebra — a bone from the spine — that once belonged to a child just 2 to 5 years old. What made it so striking were the marks left by stone tools, clear signs that the head had been separated from the body.
The child’s vertebra was found along with a group of human remains in the TD6 level of Gran Dolina. This is the same area where, in 1994, paleontologists had already recovered bones from at least 11 individuals, most of them children or teenagers. Those earlier remains also showed similar marks, confirming they were processed for consumption. That discovery was important not only for proving cannibalism but also for identifying a new human species: Homo antecessor.
Not a One-Time Event
The bones tell a clear story — cannibalism at Gran Dolina didn’t just happen once. Researchers found evidence of at least two separate episodes, taking place hundreds of years apart. That means it probably wasn’t just a desperate act during a food shortage. Instead, it looks like this was something these human groups came back to over time, a regular part of their way of life.
The pattern is systematic: bones were stripped of flesh, broken to access the bone marrow, and even show human bite marks. The remains were then left mixed with those of animals, without any special treatment or burial.
Who Were the Victims?
The majority of the human remains belong to children and adolescents. There are no signs of ritual or ceremonial activity, meaning the treatment of human bodies was no different from that of hunted animals.
Researchers believe there are several possible explanations. One is that the cannibalism was purely for nutritional purposes, to obtain protein and other nutrients. Another is that it could have been related to violent conflict between groups, in which rivals were captured and eaten.
The large number of children among the remains raises more questions. Were they from the same group or from rival groups? Did they die together in a single event, or were they taken over time? The evidence so far points to a catastrophic mortality pattern rather than a slow, selective process.
A Wider Pattern in Human History
Gran Dolina is not the only site with evidence of ancient cannibalism. In Moula-Guercy (France), archaeologists found the remains of six Neanderthals, including two children, who were cut and processed for consumption. In El Sidrón (Asturias, Spain), bones of Neanderthals show signs of what appears to be survival cannibalism, possibly during a seasonal famine.
The Atapuerca case stands out for its age—over 800,000 years—and for the repeated nature of the practice.
How Important is This for Paleontologists?
The identical cut marks, breaks, and bite marks on both human and animal bones leave little doubt: this was nutritional cannibalism. Of course, cannibalism is shocking in our present time, but it was a common thing to do in the Paleolithic because survival often came first.
For paleontologists, this kind of find is a remarkable thing in their field because knowing this helps scientists better understand how our ancestors adapted to the world around them.
A Window Into the Past
The discovery of a child’s vertebra with cut marks in Gran Dolina adds a new chapter to the story of human evolution. It shows that cannibalism, including child cannibalism, was not rare or exceptional in certain prehistoric communities.
For the paleontologists studying Atapuerca, each new find helps them understand not only what these humans ate, but also how they interacted, fought, and survived in a challenging world more than 800 millennia ago. Every paleontologic discovery is a step closer to ancient civiliations, so we’ll see what they find next.