In many Middle Pleistocene sites, the co-occurrence of hominins with carnivores, who both
contributed to faunal accumulations, suggests competition for resources as well as for living
spaces. Despite this, there is very little evidence of direct interaction between them to-date.
Recently, a human femoral diaphysis has been recognized in South-West of Casablanca
(Morocco), in the locality called Thomas Quarry I. This site is famous for its Middle Pleistocene
fossil hominins considered representatives of Homo rhodesiensis. The bone was
discovered in Unit 4 of the Grotte à Hominidés (GH), dated to c. 500 ky and was associated
with Acheulean artefacts and a rich mammalian fauna. Anatomically, it fits well within the
group of known early Middle Pleistocene Homo, but its chief point of interest is that the
diaphyseal ends display numerous tooth marks showing that it had been consumed shortly
after death by a large carnivore, probably a hyena. This bone represents the first evidence
of consumption of human remains by carnivores in the cave. Whether predated or scavenged,
this chewed femur indicates that humans were a resource for carnivores, underlining
their close relationships during the Middle Pleistocene in Atlantic Morocco
