• We have updated the guidelines regarding posting political content: please see the stickied thread on Website Issues.

Past / Historical Human Burials & Burial Practices (Miscellaneous)

Could it be that any remains were relocated & reburied, later on? Perhaps for similar reasons as (for example) remains in the Valley of Kings were sometimes relocated?
 
Cannibalism? Maybe.

A tomb in Iberia that dates to 6,000 years ago contained bones that were cracked after death.

Spiroid fractures of two humeri from Los Zumacales with several resulting fragments. Some are typically butterfly-shaped.

Spiroid fractures of two humeri from Los Zumacales with several resulting fragments. Some are typically "butterfly-shaped." (Image credit: IJOA)

Archaeologists in Spain have discovered evidence that ancient people defleshed and dismembered corpses around 6,000 years ago. But these aren't clues to an ancient murder: Instead, the bone injuries are more likely related to funerary practices that occurred just after death.

Decades ago, archaeologists unearthed two large Neolithic stone tombs in northern Spain dating to the fourth millennium B.C. that contained the remains of more than two dozen men, women and children, in addition to flint arrowheads, bone awls, stone tools and pottery fragments. Now, a new analysis of the people's bones has revealed that a huge number of them were fractured and fragmented perimortem — around or just after the time of death.

Researchers described the new findings from the tombs at Los Zumacales and La Cabaña in a study published Dec. 1 in the International


Location of the sites presented in this study in the Spanish northern sub-plateau: the tomb of Los Zumacales (Middle Douro Valley) and La Cabaña (La Lora region).



Location of the sites presented in this study in the Spanish northern sub-plateau: the tomb of Los Zumacales (Middle Douro Valley) and La Cabaña (La Lora region). (Image credit: IJOA)

Between 70% and 90% of the bones had been fractured, according to the researchers, including arm bones with "butterfly-shaped" fractures that resulted from a force perpendicularly applied to fresh bone. Impact marks were found on some of the bones as well, indicating the application of percussive or banging force. V-shaped cut marks were also discovered, likely made by people using stone tools to deflesh the dead.

While previous studies suggested the skeletons represented burials that were cleaned up or moved aside after some time had passed, the researchers of the new study proposed that the fractures and cut marks were part of a "death management process" that people employed as needed to deal with their deceased compatriots.

"It is difficult to interpret the motivation for these practices," Angélica Santa-Cruz, an archaeologist at the University of Valladolid in Spain, told Live Science in an email. The practices may have been "aimed at accelerating the processes of decomposition of the corpse when necessary," she said, and "some of these bones could have been worshipped as funerary objects or relics."

Left radius (CA/EX98) from La Cabaña tomb in anterior view showing cut marks in its distal third of the shaft. Diagram of the cuts located on the distal end of the radius.



Left radius (CA/EX98) from La Cabaña tomb in anterior view showing cut marks in its distal third of the shaft. Diagram of the cuts located on the distal end of the radius. (Image credit: Drawing by Fracisco Tapias López.)

However, the researchers were unable to rule out that people engaged in funerary cannibalism. Consuming the flesh of the dead is an ancient human behavior, with many instances found across northwestern Europe, particularly during the Upper Palaeolithic period (35,000 to 10,000 years ago). Fracture patterns on the bones at Los Zumacales in particular could reflect funerary cannibalism — also called endocannibalism or anthropophagy — but "such a claim must be made with great caution," the authors wrote in the study.

https://www.livescience.com/archaeo...fleshed-and-their-bones-fractured-after-death
 
Corpses buried in odd positions/ Also: "We have some teeth that are very worn in a kind of a funny way that might indicate the use of teeth as tools,".

A rare, early medieval cemetery has been unearthed in Wales and it has left archaeologists scratching their heads.

It's thought to date to the 6th or 7th Century and 18 of the estimated 70 graves have been excavated so far. Some of the well preserved skeletons have been found lying in unusual positions and unexpected artefacts are also emerging from the site. The dig is starting to reveal more about this ancient community - but it's also raising questions.

The cemetery lies in an unremarkable field in the grounds of Fonmon Castle, close to the end of the runway at Cardiff airport. Over two summers, a team has been busy carefully removing the thin layer of topsoil to expose the graves that were carved into the bedrock so long ago.

Summer Courts, an osteoarchaeologist from the University of Reading, says the skeletons are in good condition despite being around 1,500 years old. She points to a skull that's just been excavated, which is providing clues about how these people lived and worked.

"We have some teeth that are very worn in a kind of a funny way that might indicate the use of teeth as tools," she says. "Maybe for textile work, leather work or basketry - they're pulling something through their front teeth."

But some of the skeletons are posing a puzzle - they're lying in a whole variety of positions.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-67750403
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thinking of corpses in unusual positions has made me recount ...
Decades ago I worked as a digger for the Canterbury Archaeological Trust. Most often they were called to 'monitor' building projects in the city - that is, when the projects were planned, the council asked the C.A.T. to check the records, maps, etc. to see if there was any potential remains to merit a delay in construction and recording. Other times, they took on long-term projects that could be left then returned to.
One such was located at a chalk quarry in Crundale. On the upper level of the uncut area is the location of a Bronze Age village. One day, I'd located a pit - usually a rubbish pit - and was assigned to scrape down to see what crap might be found. Started to uncover what looked like a section of skull. Dug down further, more intact bone uncovered. In the end, I'd unearthed an intact skull. Still on vertebrae.
Turns out I'd discovered a 'crouch burial'.
In areas with scant soft earth to deposit the dead, they'd use the energy to dig a pit rather than a trough. Then they'd tie or hold the legs up, with knees to their chest and dropped in. Usually facing East, presumably towards the rising sun.
 
The 'experts' in the CAT would turn up every now and again, to direct our mining operations, collect anything interesting, answer a few questions etc. then bugger off back to base. We were the biological version of a JCB ... with added care.
A lot of us were scathing about Time Team, because we knew what work went behind it all.
 
Back
Top