Mass cannibalism in the Linear Pottery Culture at Herxheim (Palatinate, Germany)

Bruno Boulestin (1) , Andrea Zeeb-Lanz (2) , Christian Jeunesse (3) , Fabian Haack (2) , Rose-Marie Arbogast (3) , Anthony Denaire (3, 4)

1 PACEA - De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie
2 Generaldirektion Kulturelles, Erbe Rheinland-Pfalz
3 ARCHIMEDE - Étude des Civilisations de l'Antiquité : de la Préhistoire à Byzance
4 Antea-Archéologie

The Early Neolithic central place at Herxheim is defined by a perimeter of elongated pits containing fragments of human bone, together with pottery imported from areas several hundred kilometres distant. This article offers a context for the centre, advancing strong evidence that the site was dedicated to ritual activities in which cannibalism played an important part

Mots clés: Europe; Germany; Linearbandkeramik pottery; LBK; human bone; cannibalism; butchering

Domaines: Anthropologie biologique; Anthropologie biologique; Anthropologie biologique

Bruno Boulestin, Andrea Zeeb-Lanz, Christian Jeunesse, Fabian Haack, Rose-Marie Arbogast, et al.. Mass cannibalism in the Linear Pottery Culture at Herxheim (Palatinate, Germany). Antiquity, 2009, 83 (83), pp.968_982. ⟨10.1017/S0003598X00099282⟩. ⟨halshs-00446157⟩