This is a list of incidents of cannibalism, or anthropophagy, the consumption of human flesh or internal organs by other human beings. Accounts of human cannibalism date back as far as prehistoric times, and some anthropologists suggest that cannibalism was common in human societies as early as the Paleolithic. Historically, various peoples and groups have engaged in cannibalism, although very few continue the practice to this day.
Occasionally, starving people have resorted to cannibalism for survival. Classical antiquity recorded numerous references to cannibalism during siege-related famines. More recent well-documented examples include the Essex sinking in 1820, the Donner Party in 1846 and 1847, and the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in 1972. Some murderers, such as Boone Helm, Albert Fish, Andrei Chikatilo, and Jeffrey Dahmer, are known to have eaten parts of their victims after killing them. Other individuals, such as journalist William Seabrook and artist Rick Gibson, have legally consumed human flesh out of curiosity or to attract attention to themselves.
Presently a man appeared, leading a young girl of about ten years old at the hand, and I then witnessed the most horribly sickening sight I am ever likely to see in my life. He plunged a knife quickly into her breast twice, and she fell on her face, turning over on her side. Three men then ran forward, and began to cut up the body of the girl; finally her head was cut off, and not a particle remained, each man taking his piece away down to the river to wash it. The most extraordinary thing was that the girl never uttered a sound, nor struggled, until she fell. Until the last moment, I could not believe that they were in earnest ... that it was anything save a ruse to get money out of me ... When I went home I tried to make some small sketches of the scene while still fresh in my memory, not that it is ever likely to fade from it. No one here seemed to be in the least astonished at it. [160]
It was like good, fully developed veal, not young, but not yet beef. It was very definitely like that, and it was not like any other meat I had ever tasted. It was so nearly like good, fully developed veal that I think no person with a palate of ordinary, normal sensitiveness could distinguish it from veal. It was mild, good meat with no other sharply defined or highly characteristic taste such as for instance, goat, high game, and pork have. The [rump] steak was slightly tougher than prime veal, a little stringy, but not too tough or stringy to be agreeably edible. The [ loin ] roast, from which I cut and ate a central slice, was tender, and in color, texture, smell as well as taste, strengthened my certainty that of all the meats we habitually know, veal is the one meat to which this meat is accurately comparable. [191]
Survival was a moral as well as a physical struggle. A woman doctor wrote to a friend in June 1933 that she had not yet become a cannibal, but was 'not sure that I shall not be one by the time my letter reaches you'. The good people died first. Those who refused to steal or to prostitute themselves died. Those who gave food to others died. Those who refused to eat corpses died. Those who refused to kill their fellow man died ... At least 2,505 people were sentenced for cannibalism in the years 1932 and 1933 in Ukraine, though the actual number of cases was certainly much higher. [196]
the Japanese started selecting prisoners and every day one prisoner was taken out and killed and eaten by the soldiers. I personally saw this happen and about 100 prisoners were eaten at this place by the Japanese. The remainder of us were taken to another spot 50 miles [80 km] away where 10 prisoners died of sickness. At this place, the Japanese again started selecting prisoners to eat. Those selected were taken to a hut where their flesh was cut from their bodies while they were alive and they were thrown into a ditch where they later died. [211]
羿猶不悛.將歸自田.家眾殺而亨之.以食其子.其子不忍食諸.死于窮門.
纣烹(文王之子)为羮,赐文王曰:圣人当不食其子羮。文王食之
(易牙)蒸其首子而献之公
介子推至忠也,自割其股以食文公
圍宋五月,城中食盡,易子而食,析骨而炊。宋
三國攻晉陽,歳餘,……城中懸釜而炊,易子而食。
邯鄲之民,炊骨易子而食,可謂急矣
齊田單攻聊城歲餘……食人炊骨,士無反外之心
中山之君烹其子而遗之羹,乐羊坐于幕下而啜之,尽一杯。
趙卒不得食四十六日,皆內陰相殺食
漢興,接秦之敝,諸侯並起,民失作業,而大饑饉。凡米石五千,人相食,死者過半。
三年春,河水溢于平原,大飢,人相食。
河南貧人傷水旱萬餘家,或父子相食
山東被河菑,及歲不登數年,人或相食,方一二千里。
關東郡國十一大水,饑,或人相食
永始二年,梁國、平原郡比年傷水災,人相食
緣邊大飢,人相食。
戰鬥死亡,緣邊四夷所係虜,陷罪,飢疫,人相食,及莽未誅,而天下戶口減半矣。
傳莽首詣更始,縣宛市,百姓共提擊之,或切食其舌。
漢兵攻之數月,(宛)城中糧盡,人相食,彭乃與說舉城降。
民飢餓相食,死者數十萬,長安為虛,城中無人行。
關中饑,民相食。
浮城中糧盡,人相食。
時,百姓饑餓,人相食,黃金一斤易豆五升。
京師大飢,民相食。
并涼二州大飢,人相食。
任城、梁國飢,民相食。
司隷、兾州飢,人相食。
三輔大旱,……人相食啖,白骨委積。
是時歲旱、蟲蝗、少穀,百姓相食
太祖軍乘氏,大饑,人相食。
(臧洪)又殺其愛妾,以食兵將。
人相食啖,白骨委樍,臭穢滿路。……強者四散,羸者相食,二三年閒,關中無復人跡。
天旱歲荒,士民凍餒,江、淮間相食殆盡。
是時旱蝗谷貴,民相食。
(襄平)糧盡,人相食,死者甚多。
So great a famine prevailed that men, compelled by hunger, devoured human flesh, that of horses, dogs, and cats, and whatever custom abhors.
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has generic name (help)Московская полиция задержала двух сатанистов, которые сознались в нескольких убийствах и каннибализме, сообщила «Фонтанка» и Telegram-канал Mash со ссылкой на источники. [Moscow police detained two Satanists who confessed to several murders and cannibalism, Fontanka and the Mash Telegram channel reported, citing sources.]