A cache of at least 15 human skulls dating back to the Neolithic period has unearth at Masseria Candelaro, a prehistoric site in the Puglia region of Italy. The discovery, report in the European Journal of Archaeology, has raise questions about ancient burial practices and rituals.
Radiocarbon dating suggests the skulls belong to individuals who live between 5618 and 5335 B.C. and most of the remains are believe to have come from males.
The study was publish in the European Journal of Archaeology.
As per report, the skulls find inside a structure labelled “Structure Q,” which was not a designate burial site but a sunken feature containing both domestic and ritual objects.
As per Jess Thompson, an archaeologist at the University of Cambridge, who spoke to Live Science, the skulls were retrieve from earlier burials, handle extensively, and later deposited together.
The bones show signs of wear but no evidence of violence, ruling out theories of enemy trophy heads.
The fragment condition of the skulls has led researchers to believe they were part of ancestral rituals.
It is speculate that the bones may have display or handle for symbolic purposes, although no direct evidence, such as modifications for suspension, was found.
Jess Thompson explain that the significance of human bones appeare to be link to their perceive power or efficacy within the community.
The skulls were lightly cover with soil, which suggest they had abandone rather than formally buried.
The act of depositing the remains in this context is thought to represent a form of “decommissioning” of the bones, transforming them into “ex-ancestors.”
Jess Thompson said that the final placement likely held a symbolic meaning, signifying the end of their use in rituals.
This find adds to the growing evidence of complex mortuary practices during the Neolithic period and sheds light on how early societies interact with their dead.
Further studies may reveal additional insights into these ancient customs.
