A new study has revealed that cannibalism among early Europeans was not a one-time event, but a recurring practice that occurred in different periods and under various social conditions over thousands of years. Researchers analyzed human remains from three caves in Granada, Spain—Malalmuerzo, Carigüela, and Majolicas—where nearly a thousand bones were examined using modern archaeological techniques. These caves have become key locations for understanding the behaviors and social structures of early human communities in Europe. The study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, highlights that cannibalism in this region was not uniform, but varied in both timing and context. The scientists examined whether the prehistoric bones had been deliberately altered, looking for signs such as cut marks, fractures, blows, and tooth marks. These marks helped distinguish between damage that occurred while the body was still fresh and that which happened after death. While the processing of bodies showed some similarities—such as the use of cut marks, boiling, and tooth marks—each cave site told a different story. This suggests that the reasons behind cannibalism varied across locations and time periods. At Malalmuerzo, researchers found signs of violence, including fractures in the bones that may have resulted from attacks. These injuries, combined with the presence of remains from all age groups, suggest a large-scale event in which an entire community may have been killed and consumed around 5000 BC. In Carigüela, the discovery of two skulls modified into cups points to cannibalistic practices that occurred at different times during the Neolithic era. Meanwhile, the remains from Majolicas show no signs of violent conflict, with the most recent evidence of cannibalism dating to around 3800 BC. The study indicates that cannibalism in the European Neolithic was not a continuous practice, but rather occurred in specific periods and regions. These patterns are not unique to Spain but are part of a broader trend seen across Europe. Cannibalism appears to have been concentrated in three main time periods: the end of the sixth millennium BC, the middle of the fifth millennium BC, and the end of the third millennium BC. The researchers suggest that while the causes of these cannibalistic episodes may have differed, they all point to a broader context of conflict or the manipulation of human remains. These practices could reflect changes in social structures, interactions between different groups, and evolving attitudes toward death and violence during the Neolithic period.