Was cannibalism common in earlier times?

Yes, cannibalism was more common in the past than it is now.

Cannibalism has been documented for hundreds of thousands of years, from the Middle Palaeolithic period (about 200,000 years ago) until the present.

The explanation for this is that food was frequently scarce, and cannibalism may have been a means for people to survive during times of famine.

Another possibility is that cannibalism may have been related with religious or cultural practises.

Cannibalism is still practised in some isolated places of the world today, but it is far less widespread than it once was.