Biochemical evidence of cannibalism at a prehistoric Puebloan site in southwestern Colorado

The existence of cannibalism is one of the most controversial issues in the archaeology of the American Southwest. Disarticulated, cut-marked and heat -altered human remains from nonburial contexts at prehistoric Puebloan (Ana sazi) archaeological sites in the Four Corners region of the American South west have been interpreted by some scholars as evidence of cannibalism(1). Osteological studies indicate that many of the disarticulated bodies found at these sites were processed in a manner consistent with food preparation( 2). Opponents of this interpretation point out that non-cannibalistic pract ices such as secondary interment, corpse mutilation and ritualized witch ex ecutions might account for the assemblages(3-7). Osteological evidence alon e does not document the actual ingestion of human flesh. Here we show consu mption of human flesh did occur as demonstrated in preserved human waste co ntaining identifiable human tissue remains from a site with osteological ev idence of cannibalism.