Atapuerca excavation uncovers 24 Homo antecessor fossils with cannibalism evidence

The 2026 excavation campaign at Atapuerca (Burgos) has unearthed 24 new Homo antecessor fossils dating back 850,000 years, including unprecedented remains of adult individuals, and further confirming cannibalism practices at the site. Source: ABC.es

New discoveries

The fossils were recovered from the Gran Dolina site, specifically the TD6.2 level (Aurora stratum), described as "one of the most emblematic deposits of human evolution in Europe" by the Atapuerca Foundation. Source: Infobae Among the finds are a temporal bone fragment, cervical and lumbar vertebrae, hand and foot phalanges, three teeth, and long bones (ulna, tibia, femur, humerus). The teeth indicate a new individual, bringing the total estimated individuals in TD6.2 to between 12 and 15. Source: ABC.es

Cannibalism and adult remains

Several bones show cut marks from defleshing, confirming cannibalism. A key novelty is the recovery of adult remains (aged 27–30 years), representing 2 to 6 adults, whereas previous finds were mostly children and adolescents. Source: Infobae This suggests cannibalism was not limited to non-adults.

Implications and hypotheses

The abundance of animal remains (hyaena, beaver, deer, bovid, horse, rhinoceros) and stone tools indicates a rich paleoecological context, ruling out starvation as a cause. Researchers propose inter-group conflict as a hypothesis, possibly to eliminate rival groups. However, no direct evidence of violence has been found on the bones. [Sources: ABC.es, Infobae]

The campaign also advanced work at other Atapuerca sites like Penal, Cueva Fantasma, and Mirador, enhancing understanding of early human presence in Europe.