Despite common misconceptions, cannibalism is not solely considered a despicable and unimaginable act limited to human thought, but also occurs within the borders of the continental United States of America, unbeknownst to the government. This report endeavors to present a summary of cannibalism’s historical background, its diverse forms, and various documented instances.
In America, cannibalism is a deeply disturbing taboo. Many people typically think of cannibalism as something associated with deranged serial killers who gruesomely dismember and boil their victims. Cannibalism specifically refers to the act of consuming one’s own species, whereby individuals consume other humans. The New Cannibalism (p.1) mentions that there is an extensive and sometimes respected history of cannibalism.
Evidence of cannibalism has been found in Stone Age settlements in southern France, where knife-and burn-marks on bones suggest that the people who once owned these bodies were consumed. In southwestern Colorado, human remains discovered at a twelfth-century A.D. site near Cowboy Wash provide additional proof of cannibalism among the Anasazi. At the site, known as 5mt10010, the remains of 12 individuals were found, although only five were from burials.
It seems that the other seven individuals were purposefully taken apart, stripped of their flesh, and their bones were heavily damaged, including being beaten, burned, or boiled. This left them in a state resembling the bones of animals used for consumption. The bones exhibited traces of cuts, breaks, and other marks caused by stone tools. Additionally, the pale appearance of certain bones suggests that boiling occurred. The presence of burn patterns indicates that many of the individuals were subjected to fire while still having flesh on their bodies, which aligns with the expected outcome after being cooked over a fire.
According to Utah State University’s Patricia Lambert and Soil Systems’ Brian Billman and Banks Leonard, the treatment of human remains found in other sites nearby is similar. Three possible explanations have been suggested for this: hunger-induced cannibalism, ritual cannibalism influenced by Mesoamerica, or another unknown reason. Lambert, Billman, and Leonard propose that cannibalism was connected to violent conflicts between Anasazi communities in the mid-1100s. This period coincided with a drought and the collapse of the Chaco system. They observe a significant rise in evidence of cannibalism between 1130 and 1150, followed by the desertion of the site. However, as the climate improved in the early 1200s, there was a decrease in cannibalistic activities (Anasazi Cannibalism? p. 1).
There are various forms of cannibalism, categorized according to the target being consumed. These classifications encompass autocannibalism, where individuals consume their own body parts (excluding common behaviors like nail biting); exocannibalism, which entails consuming outsiders or foreigners (such as invaders or enemies); and endocannibalism, where individuals consume members of their own social group. Additionally, there are functional variations of cannibalism that take into account the motive behind the act, such as survival cannibalism, religious or ritual cannibalism, and dietary or gastronomic cannibalism.
According to The myths and perturbing realities of cannibalism (p.1), survival cannibalism is a well-documented form of cannibalism that occurs in extreme situations where individuals are stranded without food. This can happen when people find themselves adrift on an ocean or stranded on a snow-covered mountain. In such desperate circumstances, they resort to consuming their fellow group members.
The most notable case of survival cannibalism is the case of the Donner party of 1846. A group of 90 immigrants led by George Donner was caught in a blinding snowstorm high in the Sierra Nevada range of California in October 1846. Survivors, who made their way out early in 1847, had been forced to resort to eating the flesh of their comrades in order to survive. The survivors openly admitted to the media and in court to resorting to cannibalism to survive.
Religious or ritual cannibalism is extremely uncommon in the United States, with no reported cases. It involves the consumption of a person as a sacrifice due to religious beliefs or the consumption of a deceased individual as part of rituals or religious beliefs. Certain tribes uphold the belief that consuming various parts of a deceased loved one allows them to remain spiritually connected forever.
Another frequent scenario involves the Aztec priests who were known for their bloodthirstiness. They would require all of their victims to drink blood as part of a religious sacrifice. Dietary or gastronomic cannibalism is considered the most gruesome and abhorrent form of cannibalism. Stories of gutless serial killers with no remorse for their actions often revolve around this type of cannibalism. Alferd Packer stands as one of the lesser-known cannibals.
In 1874, Alfred Packer allegedly led campers on a trail in Colorado and purportedly consumed them. Authorities later discovered the remains of his victims in the woods, which exhibited numerous knife wounds across their bodies. These peculiar wounds appeared to have been sliced open with their flesh scooped out. Packer served time in the Colorado Territorial Prison but was eventually released due to a technicality. Following his release, he adopted a vegetarian lifestyle and earned money by selling autographed photographs of himself before eventually passing away.
Jeffrey Dahmer is widely recognized as one of the most infamous modern-day cannibals, with his case deemed one of history’s most horrifying instances of cannibalism.
Jeffrey Dahmer, a depraved individual, lived a seemingly ordinary and peaceful existence unbeknownst to those around him, all while engaging in abhorrent acts. Operating as both a serial killer and cannibal, Dahmer kidnapped 11 victims who included young children, adolescents, and homosexual men. Inside his apartment, he callously ended the lives of these individuals before preserving their body parts by freezing them. Subsequently, Dahmer would consume these frozen and refrigerated remains. It is worth noting that there has not been another occurrence of cannibalism in the United States since the notorious case of Jeffrey Dahmer in 1991.
The conclusion reached is…
Although there are varying opinions on the moral acceptability of cannibalism, it is presently being practiced in the United States. As American citizens, we have a duty to either address this problem or acknowledge its existence.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Lidz, Theodore; Riley, Thomas J.; Schryer, David R.”Existence of cannibalism”Science 29 Aug. 1986: 233
- Shipman, Pat.”The myths and perturbing realities of cannibalism”Discover March 1987: 8Occutopedia.
- “Cannibalism.” Online. Internet. 25 Dec. 99 Available URL: http://occultopedia.tripod.com/c/cannibalism.htm. The college hill independent.
- “The New Cannibalism.” Online. Internet. 11 Dec. 99 Available URL: http://www.netscape.org/indy/issued/04-17-97/features3.html.
- Archaeological Institute of America”Anasazi Cannibalism?” Online. Internet. 11Dec. 99 Available URL: http://www.archaeology.org/9709/newsbriefs/anasazi.htm.
- Darkhorse Multimedia”Jeffrey Dahmer Exposed.” Online. Internet. 2 Jan. 00 Available URL: http://va.crimelibrary.com/dahmer/dahmerexposed.htm.
- Roadside America”Alferd Packer Cannibal Treats. Roadside America.” Online. Internet. 2 Jan. 00 Available URL: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/MEATpacker.html.
