Scientists Find Cannibalism at American Settlement (Jamestown, VA)

U-T San Diego ^ | May 1, 2013 | Brett Zongker

[DogByte6RER]

Scientists find cannibalism at American settlement

WASHINGTON — Scientists say they have found the first solid archaeological evidence that some of the earliest American colonists survived harsh conditions by resorting to cannibalism.

On Wednesday, the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and archaeologists from Jamestown announced the discovery of the bones of a 14-year-old girl with clear signs that she was cannibalized.

The human remains date back to the deadly winter of 1609-1610, known as the "starving time" in Jamestown, when hundreds of colonists died. Scientists have said the settlers arrived from England during the worst drought in 800 years.

For years, there had been unconfirmed tales of starving early colonists resorting to eating dogs, mice, snakes, shoe leather and even their own dead.

[DogByte6RER]

[DogByte6RER]

More background reference ...

Archaeology and forensic anthropology confirm survival cannibalism at Jamestown

http://www.csmonitor.com/Media/Content/2013/0502-jamestown-cannibalism

[SampleMan]

“Proof”? No. “Evidence consistant with”? Perhaps.

[PghBaldy]

So they have proof white people were cannibals? Or just people in general? Anything to make white people look bad, that is what society seems to push nowadays.

[slouper]

Yea well, whatever, so what. What’s the point?

[fso301]

For certain cannibalism took place across the old and new world in the aftermath of crop failures but I see no reason to conclude marks on a skull are indicative of cannibalism. If someone is being butchered, I would thin large muscles such as the thighs and buttocks would be what a cannibal went after.

[RightWingNut]

I’m reminded of a Rodney Dangerfield joke.

Do you know the definition of trust ?

Two canibals having oral sex !!

[zerosix]

"Scientists Find........" the earth is flat, nope, oatmeal lowers cholesterol, nope, coffee raises cholesterol, nope, global warming (it's now 30 F in KC and snowing expected all night May 2/3, hasn't snowed May 2nd for over 100 years!) is caused by human presence, nope, Jamestown settlers ate humans to survive as there weren't enough animals available?????

Sorry, I no longer believe anyone doing this kind of "science."

[sphinx]

The reactions on this and on a previous thread on this story puzzle me. Why should anyone be either surprised or offended at the suggestion? People were starving. It was an extreme survival situation. There are instances throughout history when people of all races, colors, and creeds have resorted to cannibalism under such circumstances. The Donner party is probably the most famous American example.

The essential distinction to make is whether anyone committed murder in order to cannibalize the remains. No evidence of that. Cannibalizing the remains of people who had died of natural causes is a different matter.

[publius911]

Bookmark

[tomkat]

             

(snack above contains no human components)

[X Fretensis]

Killing a person for food has happened in American History.
Read Philbricks “In the Heart of the Sea” or Owen Chase's
“Wreck of the Whale Ship Essex. In the Captain's boat, they drew straws to see who would be the next meal, then drew straws again to see who would kill that person. The loser was the Captain's nephew, and the shooter was the nephew's best friend. The Captain volunteered to take his nephews place. The boy, said no, that he no longer cared to live
under the circumstances in the boat. He was shot and eaten.

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks DogByte6RER. Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.