10 terrifying human cannibals

Between them they killed hundreds of people and developed a taste for human flesh.

Cannibalism was widespread in the past among humans in many parts of the world, continuing into the 19th century in some isolated South Pacific cultures, and to the present day in parts of tropical Africa. In a few cases in insular Melanesia, indigenous flesh-markets existed. Fiji was once known as the ‘Cannibal Isles’. Cannibalism has been well documented around the world, from Fiji to the Amazon Basin to the Congo to Māori New Zealand. Neanderthals are believed to have practiced cannibalism, and Neanderthals may have been eaten by anatomically modern humans.

Cannibalism has recently been both practiced and fiercely condemned in several wars, especially in Liberia and Congo.Today, the Korowai are one of very few tribes still believed to eat human flesh as a cultural practice. It is also still known to be practiced as a ritual and in war in various Melanesian tribes. Historically, allegations of cannibalism were used by the colonial powers to justify the subjugation of what were seen as primitive peoples; cannibalism has been said to test the bounds of cultural relativism as it challenges anthropologists “to define what is or is not beyond the pale of acceptable human behavior”.Cannibalism is rare and is not illegal in most countries. People who eat human flesh are usually charged with crimes other than cannibalism, such as murder or desecration of a body. [source]