Caspar Plautius, 1621
Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir, an adjunct lecturer at the Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology, and Folkloristics at the University of Iceland, will be teaching a course titled “Cannibalism and Culture” as part of the Continuing Education Program this fall.1
Cannibalism, which is considered a major taboo in anthropological, historical and cultural contexts, is a concept that is both frightening and intriguing for most people. So think about it, what could be the psychological or socioeconomic reasons that would push a tribe or community to consume human flesh?
First of all, the introductory text of the course specifically states that this program is not a cooking course. Its aim is to explore the role of cannibalism in folklore, literature and historical narratives.
The phenomenon of cannibalism, also known as “anthropophagy” in anthropological literature, is basically divided into two categories: endocannibalism and exocannibalism. Endocannibalism refers to the eating of the flesh of one’s own members of a community or tribe, while exocannibalism refers to the eating of the flesh of members of enemy or foreign tribes.
The first traces of cannibalism date back to the Paleolithic period. There are many archaeological findings that Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens groups practiced cannibalism. In particular, cave findings in Moula-Guercy, France, and El Sidrón, Spain, contain evidence that Neanderthals practiced cannibalism for both nutritional and ritual purposes. Traces of deliberately breaking bones and extracting marrow, as well as pathological evidence such as tooth marks and burn marks, suggest that Neanderthals may have engaged in cannibalism during times of hunger or in death rituals.
Scientists believe that cannibalism may have become widespread among human groups, especially in the early Holocene period, for different reasons. Archaeological evidence from this period suggests that cannibalism was sometimes carried out due to food shortages and sometimes for ritualistic purposes. Some anthropologists also suggest that cannibalism may have had social functions, such as strengthening social bonds, humiliating enemies, or honoring the spirits of the dead. In Aztec society, cannibalism, which was carried out after sacrificial ceremonies, was considered an important ritual to show respect to the gods and maintain social order.
The Icelandic Cinderella: Mjaðveig Mánadóttir
Cannibalism is a common theme in modern fairy tales, even if it has almost completely disappeared from the modern era.
As Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir points out, the Icelandic version of Cinderella is a prime example. In this version, the main character, Mjaðveig Mánadóttir, sees how her sisters are slaughtered and put into salt barrels. Later in the fairy tale, the story becomes even more terrifying when the stepmother turns into a hideous troll woman after eating her own daughters.
“What scares us also fascinates us.”
Dagrún Ósk Jónsdóttir draws attention to the contradictory effects of cannibalism, like many other frightening phenomena, on human psychology. She points out that what scares us also fascinates us. That is why these themes are often featured in popular culture stories, horror films and podcasts.
The course will consist of two sessions
The course titled “Cannibalism and Culture” will consist of two evening sessions on October 29 and November 5, from 20:00 to 22:00. Those who wish to attend the course can register online at Endurmenntun HÍ.
- Guðmundsdóttir, Auður Ösp (2024-07-14). “Fræðir áhugasama um mannát – Vísir“. visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2024-08-21.[↩]