A shark killed a man in western Japan 3,000 years ago. Taphonomic analysis of bones excavated from a cemetery at the Tsukumo archaeological site in Okayama Prefecture revealed 790 injuries, including cuts, punctures, blunt force fractures, and deep, crisscrossed grooves with sharp, V-shaped edges. This is the world's oldest recorded case of a shark attack on a beinghuman, approximately 1,000 years older than the previous record holder.

"This discovery not only provides a new perspective on ancient Japan, but is also a rare example of archaeologists being able to reconstruct a dramatic episode in the life of a prehistoric community," co-author Mark Hudson, an archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute, said in a statement.

Broken bones indicate that the victim was at sea for a significant period of time after death, scientists reported in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

A great white shark with a monitoring device.

Tsukumo No. 24

The site was discovered in 1860 and the first excavations took place in 1915. The excavation has since discovered 170 human bones. Only one skeleton, known as Tsukumo No. 24, had extensive and severe injuries. Most of the damage to the skeleton was to the pelvis, left leg, shoulders and arms. According to the research, his left leg was also missing, as was one of his hands.

To visualize and map the injuries on Tsukumo No. 24, the authors performed a CT scan of his bones. Almost all of the ribs were fractured and eaten, as were the lungs and intestines. The location of the injuries indicates that the injured individual lost his left hand while trying to protect his left leg. The sharks continued circling and tearing at the corpse afterthe man was dead.

What shark killed him?

Both tiger sharks and white sharks are likely candidates, as both are found in Japan's Seto Inland Sea near the cemetery where the body was found. These two species are known to attack humans, according to the study. The researchers point out that most sharks do not attack people unless provoked.