Orta Çağ’da Yamyamlık: İnsan Eti Yemenin Tarihsel Sebepleri ve Psikolojisi Üzerine Notlar

Öz

Yamyamlık olgusu, modern akademik çevreler tarafından çoğunlukla şüpheli görülse de farklı mekân, zaman ve kültür çevrelerinde kaleme alınmış çok sayıda Orta Çağ kaynağı bu hususta zengin olay örneğini barındırır. İnsan eti yemek gibi bir eylem, günlük hayatın olağan kıldığı fiillerden olmasa da etraflı bir sebepler analizi yapmadan dönemin kroniklerinde ısrarla kümelenen anlatıları tümüyle hayal ürünü saymak yanılgıya neden olabilir. Orta Çağ müellifleri, yamyamlığın en yaygın sebebi olarak şiddetli açlık krizini ve zaruret hallerini ön plana çıkarır. Bununla birlikte muhtelif vaka örnekleri, bu sıra dışı faaliyetin farklı coğrafya ve kültür daireleri içerisinde değişik gerekçelerle gerçekleştiğine işaret etmektedir. Dönemin kaynaklarında çokça hadise anlatılmasına rağmen Ortaçağ’da gerçekleşen yamyamlıkları değerlendiren, kategorize eden veya zihniyet analizine tabi tutan özel çalışmalar sınırlıdır. Bu makale, bir yandan Orta Çağ’da gerçekleşmiş olan yamyamlık eylemlerinin sebep ve gerekçelerini sınıflandırmayı, diğer yandan bu tür eylemlerin ardında yatan değişken psikolojiyi analiz etmeyi hedeflemektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Yamyamlık
• Kıtlık
• Açlık Krizi
• Şehir Kuşatmaları
• Doğal Afetler

Cannibalism in the Middle Ages: Notes about the Historical Reasons and Psychology of Eating Human Flesh

Öz

Although the phenomenon of cannibalism is often seen with suspicion by modern academic circles, numerous medieval sources written in different locations, time periods and cultures contain rich examples of events on this subject. Although an act such as eating human flesh is not a commonplace of daily life, it would be a mistake to dismiss the narratives that persistently cluster in the chronicles of the period as purely fictitious without a thorough analysis of the causes. The most common causes of cannibalism were severe starvation crises and famine, according to medieval authors. However, various case examples indicate that this extraordinary activity took place in different geographical and cultural circles for different reasons. Although many incidents are narrated in the sources of the period, specific studies evaluating, categorizing or subjecting mentality analysis to cannibalism in the Middle Ages are limited. This article aims, on one hand, to classify the causes and justifications of cannibalistic acts that took place in the Middle Ages, and on the other hand, to analyse the variable psychology behind such acts.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Cannibalism
• Famine
• Hunger Crisis
• City Sieges
• Natural Disasters

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