Distant roots and hidden meanings of cannibalism in Europe revealed

The modern history of Western Europe is often portrayed through the prism of opposition – the contrast between civilization and barbarism, between progress and primitive horrors. Recent research has shown that the consumption of human flesh was more widespread in the Old World than historians previously thought.

Scientists note that humanity has practiced cannibalism for a number of reasons. In some cases, it was a consequence of acute food shortages, while in other cases, it was a result of accompanying beliefs and practices related to religion and medicine. In the Middle Ages, cases of cannibalism were recorded during times of war, famine, and civil unrest, when survival became a primary concern. However, there were also more exotic forms, when human body parts were used for medical purposes.

For centuries, dismembered human remains had become the material for the creation of various medicines, and laws in the Roman Empire, notably the Theosan and Visigothic Codes, prohibited the desecration of graves to extract materials for healing purposes. In the 7th century, there were already legal norms that regulated the use of graves and human remains as sources of medicine. These prohibitions did not arise out of nowhere, but were based on actual practice that persisted for centuries.

The researchers explain that with the adoption of Christianity in Western Europe, the church began to actively regulate these issues. One of the earliest examples was the Penitential Guides, which described sins and their corresponding punishments. These canons included strict prohibitions on the consumption of blood and urine, as well as other “unclean” practices, indicating the need to control and limit such actions in society.

Among other references to these practices, specific texts stand out, such as the Hibernian Canons, which strictly forbade the consumption of blood under threat of severe punishment. Such prohibitions were largely directed at women, who bore the burden of responsibility for enforcing the rules regarding the use of blood and menstrual fluids as healing agents. This highlights the reality of cannibalism as a cultural practice that needed to be regulated.

“Often, adherents of the new faith were accused of cannibalism because of their practice of the Eucharist, which was perceived as a ritual acceptance of the body and blood of Christ,” the scientists explain.

One of the most famous myths is that of Saint Sylvester I, who cured Emperor Constantine of leprosy by convincing him to give up the practice of eating children. The legend highlights the cruelty of pagan rituals and demonstrates how Christian canons sought to free believers from such cruel rituals.

Even in later times, historians say, belief in the healing properties of human body parts remained. For example, some dictionaries from the late 19th century still referred to human body parts as materials with healing properties. These beliefs became ingrained in cultural memory and were objectified in romantic literature about vampires, werewolves, and other mythical creatures that yearned for flesh and blood.

"Cannibalism, however, in its historical context has always remained a symbol of the cultural struggle between supposed paganism and Christianity. Christian traditions, instead of completely abandoning this practice, improved it, turning "cannibalism" into a process of receiving healing through sacred relics and the relics of saints," the researchers conclude.