Earliest Directly-Dated Human Skull-Cups [ 14,700 BP ]

Public Library of Science ^ | February 16, 2011 | Silvia M. Bello, Simon A. Parfitt, Chris B. Stringer

[SunkenCiv]

Abstract

Background

The use of human braincases as drinking cups and containers has extensive historic and ethnographic documentation, but archaeological examples are extremely rare. In the Upper Palaeolithic of western Europe, cut-marked and broken human bones are widespread in the Magdalenian (~15 to 12,000 years BP) and skull-cup preparation is an element of this tradition.

Principal Findings

Here we describe the post-mortem processing of human heads at the Upper Palaeolithic site of Gough's Cave (Somerset, England) and identify a range of modifications associated with the production of skull-cups. New analyses of human remains from Gough's Cave demonstrate the skilled post-mortem manipulation of human bodies. Results of the research suggest the processing of cadavers for the consumption of body tissues (bone marrow), accompanied by meticulous shaping of cranial vaults. The distribution of cut-marks and percussion features indicates that the skulls were scrupulously 'cleaned' of any soft tissues, and subsequently modified by controlled removal of the facial region and breakage of the cranial base along a sub-horizontal plane. The vaults were also 'retouched', possibly to make the broken edges more regular. This manipulation suggests the shaping of skulls to produce skull-cups.

Conclusions

Three skull-cups have been identified amongst the human bones from Gough's Cave. New ultrafiltered radiocarbon determinations provide direct dates of about 14,700 cal BP, making these the oldest directly dated skull-cups and the only examples known from the British Isles.

[SunkenCiv]

Pssst! B.P. is "before present".

[BenLurkin]

This must have seemed like a good idea to our ancestors, but it's hard for us today to imagine actually using such a cup.

[SunkenCiv]

image from "Evidence for an Atlantean Invasion of Europe and England" on the Frontiers of Anthropology site.

[SunkenCiv]

Okay, I was a little stupid this time — I saw that date for the paper, and was thinking it was this year. [blush]

Ancient Britons ‘drank from skulls’
BBC | February 16, 2011 | Jonathan Amos
Posted on 02/16/2011 3:40:26 PM PST by decimon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2674911/posts

[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 Renfield, I went with the more tame source. :') To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.

[BenLurkin]

NOthing to lose your head over......

[Jonty30]

I couldn’t imagine doing this myself, but if the situation has bad enough, I also know that it wouldn’t necessarily be above consideration if there were no other options.

[Sacajaweau]

And they toasted....Bone appetite!!

[bigheadfred]

Beer has to have a good head...

[freedumb2003]

>>nd they toasted....Bone appetite!!<<

For their night-cap.

[decimon]

Okay, I was a little stupid this time — I saw that date for the paper, and was thinking it was this year. [blush]

Your post runneth over. You posted off the top of your head.

Maybe this will help you get your head on straight: RuPaul in New Hampshire: ‘This country was founded by a bunch of men wearing wigs’

The Q&A is funny.

:-)

[P.O.E.]

Alas, poor Yorick. Prosit!

[ckilmer]

There was a recent show on TV, can’t remember the channel—that documented a lot of bones & cadavears that dated from the Roman invasion of England that seemed to corroborate Roman reports of human sacrifice among the druids. these were not just the earlier reported bog men but also bones found in caves that look like they’d been split open and eaten.

something not generally appreciated today is that human sacrifice was practiced at one time by all peoples around the globe.

why did it end?

imho the credit can legitimately go to Jesus.

[Jonty30]

In general, you are correct.

As little far back as 300 years ago, British nobility practiced cannibalism.

[SunkenCiv]

Since fish is brain food, then logically...

[RingerSIX]

If they can’t use the long standardized BC then I can’t be bothered to consider them to be anything other than butt wipes.

[Jonty30]

You’ll notice that the majority of those on the left have a view that humans are resources of the state. They are the ones, more than the right, who promote organ donation or fetal tissue transplants.

Don’t be surprised, if the left does win the cultural war, to see everything that shocks us about primitive man return.

That does include cannibalism or using human bones as decorations or tools.

[Grut]

So, they went to all that trouble just to drink water? I don’t think so. Now we know when, or before when, booze was invented.

[bigheadfred]

You do realize, of course, the parallels between Christianity, cannibalism, and human sacrifice?

Cannibalism is barely covered by a thin veneer of “civilization”.

[leapfrog0202]