Skeletal reveals teen killed by bear 27,000 years ago
The remains of a teenage boy who lived about 27,000 years ago reveal he was attacked by a cave bear – the first direct evidence of a predator attacking an ancient human.
Juvenile head, showing facial trauma, with a reconstructed shell cap, as displayed today (left). Same area after excavation (Correct).
Archives of Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Pesagio per la Liguria; “New indications of skeletal trauma in the Upper Palaeolithic theory from the Arene Candide Cave (Liguria, Italy)” by Stefano Sparacello et al provides novel insight into the circumstances of his death. Journal of Anthropological SciencesVol. 103; 2025
Early humans were ardent, skilled hunters, but they could also be hunted, as they lived among giant megafauna such as leopards, cave bears, and saber-toothed tigers. However, we have little physical evidence that these interactions were violent, as burials were rare and carnivores were more likely to kill their prey. That’s why the ornate burial of a 15-year-old boy from 27,000 years ago is an important window into the past: The teen’s bones indicate he was mauled by a bear. The discovery represents some of the first evidence of its kind.
Remains of the boy, surname “il principe” (“The Prince”), due to the bounty found in his burial site, was first uncovered in the Arene Candide Cave in Italy in 1942. Although scientists previously speculated that his death was caused by an animal attack, the claims were never investigated until recently, when researchers reanalyzed the wounds and traumatic injuries using a technique called optic magnification.
The researchers concluded, based on their patterns, that the wounds on the boy’s skull and ankle were the bite marks and claws of a cave or brown bear. “When this happened he was probably an emerging hunter who was still learning his skills,” says lead study author Vitale Stefano Sparacello, a biological anthropologist at the University of Cagliari in Italy. The findings were published in Journal of Anthropological Sciences.
On supporting science journalism
If you enjoyed this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism Subscribing By purchasing a subscription, you are helping ensure a future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
The animal dislocated the boy’s jaw, created a crater in his skull, broke his collarbone and left a bite mark on his right ankle. Even the little toe on the boy’s left foot was broken. Although we don’t know for sure, Sparasello argues that the injuries are indicative of a bear that may have seen the boy as more of a threat than food that needed to be neutralized since these bears ate mostly plants.
“il principe“Burial, as displayed in the Museo d’Archaeologia Ligure in the Pegli neighborhood of Genoa, Italy.
“New indications of skeletal trauma in the Upper Palaeolithic theory from the Arene Candide Cave (Liguria, Italy)” by Stefano Sparacello et al provides novel insight into the circumstances of his death. Journal of Anthropological SciencesVol. 103; 2025
The non-healing of the clavicle bone suggests that the boy suffered from his injuries for several days before succumbing to his injuries.
The elaborate nature of the burial site, which is adorned with a hand-knotted conch shell cap above the boy’s head as well as seashells, knives, and all manner of other ritual objects, may have been intended to ward off future bad events that sealed this boy’s fate. Biological anthropologist Christopher J. of the University of Bordeaux in France. “These burials are as much about the living as they are about the dead,” says Nuessel, who was not involved in the study.
Professor Lawrence Strauss, professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of New Mexico, who was not involved in the study, says the findings provide a first-hand look at the boy’s final painful days. “It’s a glimpse into the humanity of people who lived during the last ice age,” he says.
It’s time to stand up for science
If you enjoyed this article, I would like to ask for your support. scientific American He has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most important moment in that two-century history.
i have been one scientific American I’ve been a member since I was 12, and it’s helped shape the way I see the world. Science Always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does the same for you.
if you agree scientific AmericanYou help ensure that our coverage focuses on meaningful research and discovery; We have the resources to report on decisions that put laboratories across America at risk; And that we support both emerging and working scientists at a time when the value of science is too often recognised.
In return, you get the news you need, Captivating podcasts, great infographics, Don’t miss the newsletter, be sure to watch the video, Challenging games, and the best writing and reporting from the world of science. you can even Gift a membership to someone.
There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you will support us in that mission.
