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When people think of cannibalism, they typically envision the act of consuming human flesh by another human. Yet, ritualistic cannibalism from ancient times represents something far more complex and eerie, though equally fascinating.
While this concept is often contested and sparks heated debates across various disciplines, it provides numerous thought-provoking angles worth exploring. These topics even extend to the very essence of the modern-day church.
Below are ten points of speculation, each fascinating yet unconfirmed, with ample circumstantial evidence to warrant their consideration, making them both compelling and puzzling.
10. The Mysterious Death and Rituals of Fr. Berenger Sauniere
To begin our exploration of the claims surrounding ritualistic cannibalism, we turn to the curious and mysterious death of Berenger Sauniere, a former poor priest who took over a modest chapel in Rennes-le-Chateau, France, in the early 1880s. He unexpectedly amassed great wealth seemingly overnight. Sauniere passed away from a stroke in 1917 despite appearing to be in perfect health. What added to the intrigue was a visit from a nearby priest to offer the last rites. After an apparent confession from Sauniere, the priest declined to continue, and Sauniere passed the next day without absolution.
Things grew even more bizarre the day after his death when his body was moved to the roof of the chapel, wrapped in a vivid red robe with tassels hanging from the sleeves. A group of enigmatic mourners appeared, passing by the body, each one taking a tassel as they did. Researchers who examined these strange events in the late 20th century were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for the ritual.
In his book “The Food of the Gods: Psychoactive Plants and the Cults of the Dead,” researcher Earl Lee proposed a theory to explain the strange ritual. He suggested that it represented ritualistic cannibalism, with the tassels symbolizing psychoactive mushrooms that were historically grown on the bodies of revered dead individuals—leaders and spiritual figures of the community. This idea naturally leads us to our next point.
9. The Jesus Connection
To be blunt, some researchers into ritualistic cannibalism argue that the true purpose of Jesus' life was not to establish a new religion, as commonly thought. Instead, they claim he was aiming to revive ancient gnostic rituals where psychoactive mushrooms were cultivated on the bodies of the ‘Blessed Dead.’ These mushrooms, when consumed in ceremonies involving oils and liquefied flesh of the deceased, were believed to create a spiritual bond between the living and the dead—a ‘divine’ connection.
One notable line from the Gospel of Thomas says, “He who drinks from my mouth will become as I am, and I shall be he!” This profound statement warrants consideration in the context of ritual cannibalism and the transformative nature of such acts.
Moreover, the act of anointing with sacred oil, especially when considered in relation to claims of ritual cannibalism, may deserve a reinterpretation. This specific practice could potentially provide further evidence tied to the chapel once overseen by Sauniere.
8. The 14th Station of the Cross
The 14th Station of the Cross shows the followers of Jesus removing his body from the tomb after his crucifixion. Some researchers believe the scene takes place at night, suggesting that Jesus was alive during the event, as Jewish law prohibited contact with the dead after dark.
However, it’s possible that Jesus was indeed dead, but his followers were unconcerned with Jewish law. The 14th Station may actually provide circumstantial evidence of Sauniere’s secret discovery, indicating that Jesus and his followers were engaged in the ancient rites of ritual cannibalism.
For instance, it's known that an extensive amount of preparation was made using various oils and spices for Jesus' body. Could these preparations have been meant for cultivating mushrooms on the corpse, as well as the collection of bodily fluids, which were considered sacred by followers, to be used in future rites? Although the idea is uncomfortable for most, it could provide an explanation for the immense secrecy surrounding Sauniere's actions, should this have been the core of it. Furthermore, it might account for the strange behavior of the priest who declined to administer the last rites to the dying priest of Rennes-le-Chateau, as well as the perplexing ceremony performed on Sauniere’s body the following day.
7. The Opening Of The Mouth Ceremony
To begin with, it's crucial to state that the majority of conventional scholars and researchers dismiss any connection between the ancient Egyptian Opening of the Mouth ceremony and ritual cannibalism. Yet, author Earl Lee posits that, beyond merely opening the mouth so that the deceased's soul could become Osiris and embark on its journey to the afterlife, the ceremony also provided an opportunity for the participants to collect bodily oils and liquefied flesh. This could then be mixed with mushroom-spore-rich oils and honey, to be used in subsequent rituals and ceremonies.
Frequently, these mushroom-spore-laden oils would be applied to the dead, facilitating the growth of mushrooms on the decaying flesh. Similar to many ancient societies, especially among the priestly rulers and shamans, consuming these mushrooms and spiked oils induced a profound experience that was believed to connect individuals with the spirit world. This was particularly potent when further enhanced with cannabis or opium. Moreover, it allowed the essence and wisdom of the deceased’s soul to be transferred to those who ingested it.
It might be worth recalling once again the words of Jesus – 'He who drinks from my mouth will become as I am, and I shall be he!'
6. Ritual Cannibalism in Minoan Culture
It wasn’t only the ancient Egyptians or the tribes of the Palestine region in the centuries BC who practiced ritual cannibalism. While we’ll explore a relatively more recent European connection in the next point, the Minoans are another civilization with clear examples of such ancient rites, as discussed in the examples above.
Similar to the alleged Opening of the Mouth ceremony discussed earlier, some researchers believe that the Minoans used the bodies of prominent individuals after their natural death for ritualistic purposes. Human sacrifices were often conducted to collect liquefied flesh and bodily oils. These substances were then used to cultivate mushrooms on other corpses and were incorporated into honey, which preserved the mushrooms and facilitated their fermentation into mead.
The manner in which these sacrifices were carried out was designed to avoid bloodletting. The victims were likely drugged, then strangled or suffocated. After death, their orifices were sealed with wax to speed up the process of liquefying the internal flesh.
Numerous round structures with central pits have been uncovered in the region, believed to have been used to aid in the decomposition of corpses. This architectural form will reappear in a later point.
5. The Knights Templar and The Cathars
One of the more recent groups reportedly engaging in ritual cannibalism, according to some sources, were the Cathars. These individuals, who lived in the southern regions of France during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, claimed to follow the true teachings of Jesus. It is believed that this area is where Mary Magdalene, possibly with Jesus, arrived after the crucifixion and where she lived until her death. It is also thought to be the location where Jesus’ bloodline continued.
At the same time as the Cathars, the southern region of France was also home to numerous Knights Templar properties. While this might be a mere coincidence, the situation becomes more intriguing when considering the inner workings of the Knights Templar and their supposed “real purpose” in securing safe passage for the Crusades. This connection gains further significance when considering the, albeit unofficial, ties between the Templar Knights' leadership and what later became Freemasonry.
4. The Ultimate Secret of Freemasonry
The potential link between the Knights Templar and Freemasonry is a matter of much debate. However, when considering the secrets surrounding ancient ritual cannibalism and whether these rituals were symbolically observed by both groups, one might examine an alleged event involving one of the most prominent Freemasons in history, Albert Pike.
Upon discovering what is known as the 'ultimate secret' of Freemasonry—the notion that the true God is a fusion of three deities—Pike is said to have flown into an uncontrollable rage, unable to accept such a revelation.
Despite being described as a 'devout Christian,' Pike's actions often suggest otherwise. One must wonder if this alleged secret could have provoked such a reaction from the prominent Freemason. Or could it be, as speculative as it may sound, that the true secret involved the 'divine' food of the gods and their cannibalistic nature, which sent Pike into such fury?
3. 10,000-Year-Old Cave Painting Depicting a Shaman and Mushrooms
There is a great deal of documentation about these practices, much of which is open to interpretation. However, one particular cave painting found in the Algerian mountains stands out to researchers of ancient ritual cannibalism. This painting is notable for depicting a shaman priest with what seems to be a beehive on his head (a symbol possibly linked to the preservation properties of honey) and dozens of mushrooms covering his body.
While many dismiss the literal meaning of the painting, some researchers—including Earl Lee—argue that it should be interpreted literally, suggesting that it might depict the use of psychoactive substances in ancient rituals.
In reinterpreting Lee’s explanation, it’s suggested that a shaman priest likely died and was buried in a shallow grave, wearing a garment that, whether by accident or design, was coated with mushroom spores. Upon discovering the body and consuming the mushrooms, their psychoactive effects were likely perceived as a divine experience, linking the living to the spirit of the departed shaman priest.
Although highly speculative, it’s probable that this event marks the origin of ritual cannibalism in ancient times, eventually spreading to regions like Egypt and Palestine, and, where it wasn’t already practiced, to much of Europe. Evidence of such practices is seen in the round 'corpse huts' found as far as Great Britain.
3. Round Huts: Evidence of Widespread Rituals
Many of the bodies were placed in specially constructed round stone 'huts,' similar to those from the Minoan civilization, where they were left to decompose over several weeks. After this, bodily fluids were removed as described earlier. Interestingly, these round structures, or their remains, can be found across Europe and various other regions around the world.
It is likely that many of these buildings originally had clay roofs, perhaps to trap heat and expedite the processes of fermentation and decomposition.
This leads us to question how widespread this sinister practice truly was in ancient times. How far back could it have originated before records of such rituals began to emerge in the historical archives? And how did knowledge of these practices spread among seemingly disconnected and isolated civilizations?
4. The Red Paste Found on Ancient Remains
For decades, archaeologists and historians have been puzzled by the repeated discovery of 'red corpses'—bones stained red and even mummified remains exhibiting a red hue. Despite extensive research, the reasons behind these findings remain largely unexplained.
It seems, however, that these red-stained remains offer further evidence of ancient ritual cannibalism. Many researchers note that red was considered the traditional color of death in the ancient world. Not only is this reflected in the red garment worn by Berenger Sauniere, who was introduced earlier, but in more recent history, red also featured prominently in the pope’s funeral ceremony.
Additionally, beyond the apparent symbolic connection to the color red, the pastes and clay mixtures used in these rituals may have been intended to 'seal' the body. Much like the wax seals in Minoan practices, these substances could transform the body into a 'bag' that would aid in the purification of the flesh. This supports the idea of not just widespread use, but shared and extensive knowledge of these customs.
