Prehistoric Cannibalism at Mancos 5MTUMR-2346
Abstract
Cannibalism is one of the oldest and most emotionally charged topics in anthropological literature. Tim White's analysis of human bones from an Anasazi pueblo in southwestern Colorado, site 5MTUMR-2346, reveals that nearly thirty men, women, and children were butchered and cooked there around A.D. 1100. Their bones were fractured for marrow, and the remains discarded in several rooms of the pueblo. By comparing the human skeletal remains with those of animals used for food at other sites, the author analyzes evidence for skinning, dismembering, cooking, and fracturing to infer that cannibalism took place at Mancos. As White evaluates claims for cannibalism in ethnographic and archaeological contexts worldwide, he describes how cultural biases can often distort the interpretation of scientific data. This book applies and introduces anatomical, taphonomic, zooarchaeological, and forensic methods in the investigation of prehistoric human behavior. It is an important example of how we can exchange opinion for knowledge. "Cannibalism is a controversial topic because many people do not want to believe that their prehistoric ancestors engaged in such activity, but they will be hard put to reject this meticulous study."--Kent V. Flannery, University of Michigan "This is the best piece of detailed research yet to appear that seeks to put in place a body of justified knowledge and a procedure for its use in making inferences about the past. No student of bones can ignore this work."--L…
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At Charity site, 33 fragments show evidence of thermal exposure and 12 fragments show evidence of pot polishing.
“Thirtythree fragments show evidence of thermal exposure, and 12 fragments show evidence of pot polishing (sensu White, 1992, pp. 120-124).”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as White, 1992
At Erebus Bay scattered remains, 27 human remains representing a minimum of two individuals were identified; no knife-marks or burning were identified; two long bone fragments have proximal and distal breaks associated with polishing tentatively interpreted as pot polishing.
“Mays and Beattie (2016) identified 27 human remains (seven long bones, two scapulae, a rib, a metatarsal, a metacarpal, a vertebra and 14 articulated foot bones), representing a minimum of two individuals.No knife-marks or traces of burning were identified on any of the human remains.Two long bone fragments have evidence of proximal and distal breaks associated with polishing.”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as White, 1992
Archaeological sites of Pueblos in Mesa Verde dating between 1150 and 1300 CE have been described as bearing evidence of cannibalism, and the modifications on human remains, their spatial distribution and contexts have been used as baselines to define taphonomic traits associated with cannibalism.
“Archaeological sites of Pueblos in Mesa Verde dating between 1150 and 1300 CE (during the Pueblo III period), not only have been described as bearing evidence of cannibalism, but the modifications on the human remains, their spatial distribution and contexts have been used as baselines to define the taphonomic traits associated with cannibalism (Turner & Turner, 1999;White, 1992).”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as White, 1992
Many archaeological sites dating to the Pueblo III period (1125-1175 CE) have been associated with evidence of aggressive exo-cannibalism.
“many archaeological sites dating to the Pueblo III period (1125-1175 CE) have been associated with evidence of aggressive exo-cannibalism (Turner & Turner, 1999;White, 1992),”
From The Archaeology of Cannibalism: a Review of the Taphonomic Traits Associated with Survival and Ritualistic Cannibalism (2025) · cites this paper as White, 1992
The taphonomic evidence closely matches the indicators documented in other prehistoric assemblages interpreted as cases of cannibalism.
“Taken together, this taphonomic evidence closely matches the indicators documented in other prehistoric assemblages interpreted as cases of cannibalism16,27,28,33,36,42,43,50–52.”
From Evidence of neolithic cannibalism among farming communities at El Mirador cave, Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain (2025) · cites this paper as [27]
Experimental studies have demonstrated that macroscopic features provide a reliable basis for identifying pot-polishing.
“experimental studies have demonstrated that macroscopic features provide a reliable basis for identification26–28.”
From Evidence of neolithic cannibalism among farming communities at El Mirador cave, Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain (2025) · cites this paper as [27]
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Cited by 395
- Authors
- White, T. D.
- Corresponding author
- White, Tim D.
- ORCID
- White, Tim D.
- Venue
- Princeton University Press eBooks
- Publisher
- Princeton University Press
- Published
- 1992-12-31
- OpenAlex
- W4300671645
- Cited by
- 395
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 20 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 53.88
- Type
- book
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Princeton University Press eBooks (publishedVersion)
- Project Muse (Johns Hopkins University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology › Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Social Sciences › Anthropology › Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Keywords
- Ancestral Puebloans, skeletal remains, taphonomy, zooarchaeology, bone marrow aspiration, dismemberment, Ancestral Puebloan culture, prehistoric human behavior
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