Research publications, academic journals, or institutional announcements

Bronze Age Massacre in Somerset: 37 Individuals Cannibalized in Cycle of Revenge

Dec 16, 2024, 12:29 PM

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of a significant and violent event from the Early Bronze Age in Somerset, England. The remains of at least 37 individuals, including men, women, and children, were found in a 15-meter-deep natural shaft at Charterhouse Warren. The analysis of over 3,000 bones indicates that these individuals were brutally killed, dismembered, and likely cannibalized 4,000 years ago. The violence, which occurred between 2210 and 2010 BC, is unprecedented in British prehistory for its scale and intensity. The victims' skulls were shattered by blows, their bones show signs of blunt force trauma, cut marks from stone tools, and evidence of defleshing and marrow extraction, suggesting a systematic and ritualistic act of violence. The presence of cattle bones alongside the human remains indicates that the cannibalism was not driven by hunger but possibly as a means to dehumanize the victims. There was no evidence of a fight back, suggesting the victims were taken by surprise. The event is believed to have been part of a cycle of revenge or a significant social conflict, potentially echoing through generations.