In the 1970s, archaeological excavations at a deep underground site in Somerset, England, led to the discovery of ancient human remains. The stark truth about what really happened to these boys, girls, and young people has only recently been revealed.
Archeologists in the UK and Europe have examined the remains of 37 individuals from the Early Bronze Age in England, revealing conclusive evidence of a brutal massacre. Researchers publish a groundbreaking study in today’s edition of a prominent journal, refuting the notion that Early Bronze Age Britain (circa 2500-1200 BCE) was a period of tranquility, as their findings highlight the most significant recorded instance of interpersonal violence in British prehistory.
Archaeologists have uncovered over 3,000 human bones and bone fragments at the 15-meter-deep Charterhouse Warren excavation site in Somerset, situated in a 49.2-foot-deep shaft. The remains of males, girls, and youths—a likely cohesive group, according to investigators—had suffered brutal slaughter, possible cannibalization, before being unceremoniously discarded into the shaft.
Archeologists, led by Rick Schulting from the University of Oxford, unearthed conclusive evidence of blunt force trauma to the skull, fractures consistent with the circumstances of death, and reduction marks likely resulting from defleshing. These latter discoveries suggest a deliberate and calculated approach to the acts of butchering and cannibalism, consistent with the scientific inquiry.
Despite considering factors like funerary rituals and starvation, the researchers ultimately ruled them out as plausible explanations for the observed cannibalism. The abrupt nature of the individuals’ demise is evident, with no signs of a violent struggle or resistance, suggesting they may have been caught off guard. The discovery of cattle bones in the same shaft also indicates that food was abundant at the time, further supporting the theory that their sudden death was likely due to an unforeseen event rather than starvation or famine. Was a brutal and unprovoked attack on its own kind necessary to ensure the survival of the species?
According to the researchers’ email to Gizmodo, they posited that cannibalism could have served as a method to distinguish between the dead. As they devoured their victims’ flesh and mingled their skeletons among those of beasts, the perpetrators reduced their adversaries to a bestial status, stripping them of humanity’s essence.
While this clarification may shed light on the specific incidents of violence, it still leaves unclear the underlying motivations that drove them to such actions. At the time, Britain was not facing significant local climate fluctuations or competing demands on resources, as the research suggests. While there exists no conclusive genetic evidence of racial conflict.
Accordingly, investigators posit that the conflict may have arisen from social tensions, likely catalysed by grievances such as theft or verbal abuse. Perhaps the plague, previously detected in the tooth enamel of two children through prior examination, could have also exacerbated existing social animosities.
As ancient cultures’ dynamics reveal, perceived injustices and spirals of retaliation can precipitate disproportionately violent responses from early human beings. Unfortunately, this disturbing phenomenon has been all too familiar in recent times.
Despite the paucity of conclusive evidence for brutal conflict in Britain spanning the period from 2500 to 1500 BCE, the notion of a relatively peaceful era during this timeframe is convincingly disputed by the very possibility of such violent strife having occurred.
Schulting clarified that the analysis paints a far more ominous picture of the time period than most experts had expected. Charterhouse Warren is an enigmatic archaeological site that defies conventional understanding of our collective past, presenting a unique opportunity to reexamine historical narratives. As the likelihood of this being an isolated event is low, it becomes even more crucial to share its narrative in a responsible manner.
At this point in time, our inquiry has generated more uncertainty than clarity. Work is underway to illuminate the murky aspects of this somber era in Britain’s ancient past.
While we cannot alter the course of distant prehistoric events, it is crucial that we learn from history and prehistory alike, in order to break free from the destructive patterns of vengeance that have perpetuated themselves far too long.
