Kannibalisme har tidligere været praktiseret af flere samfund<ref>[http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/04/0410_030410_cannibal.html Cannibalism Normal For Early Humans?]</ref> i [[Europa]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba59/feat1.shtml |title=The edible dead |access-date=21. februar 2008 |archive-date=16. marts 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316144944/http://www.britarch.ac.uk/ba/ba59/feat1.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://arts.monash.edu.au/cgi-bin/inc/print?page=%2Feras%2Fedition_7%2Fsuelzlereview.htm |title=Suelzle, B: Review of "The Origins of War: Violence in Prehistory", Jean Guilaine and Jean Zammit. |access-date=30. april 2021 |archive-date= 1. september 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070901101240/http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/cgi-bin/inc/print?page=%2Feras%2Fedition_7%2Fsuelzlereview.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Sydamerika]],<ref>[http://www.lehigh.edu/~ejg1/natimag/Harry.html Hans Staden Among the Tupinambas]</ref> [[New Zealand]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wais.stanford.edu/NewZealand/newzealand_maorican1.html|title=Maori Cannibalism|access-date=2007-07-27}}</ref> [[Nordamerika]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/09/06/american.cannibals.ap/ |title=Lab tests show evidence of cannibalism among ancient Indians |access-date=21. februar 2008 |archive-date= 6. juli 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706194808/http://archives.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/09/06/american.cannibals.ap/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Salomonøerne]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,790434,00.html |title=King of the Cannibal Isles |access-date=21. februar 2008 |archive-date= 6. februar 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206233639/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,790434,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Ny Kaledonien]],<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/topic-92701/cannibalism cannibalism, or anthropophagy (human) -- Britannica Online Encyclopedia]</ref> [[New Guinea]]<ref>[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/cannibals.html Sleeping with Cannibals]</ref> og [[Fiji]],<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/233880.stm Fijians find chutney in bad taste]</ref> sædvanligvis under [[ritual]]er forbundet med stammekrig. Fiji var kendt som “Kannibaløerne”. Beviser på kannibalisme er fundet i [[Chaco Canyon]] i [[New Mexico]] i ruinerne efter [[Oprindelige Puebloere|Anasazikulturen]].
Samfund Ernæring Kriminalitet