One sentence summary – Researchers have discovered human skeletons dating back to the 5th to the 2nd millennium BCE in a cave in Spain, shedding light on ancient burial practices and intentional bone modifications in the Iberian Peninsula, suggesting a widespread cultural practice of modifying and utilizing buried human remains for sustenance and tools.
At a glance
- Significant archaeological find in a cave in Spain
- Sheds light on ancient burial practices and bone modifications in the Iberian Peninsula
- Includes human skeletons dating back to the 5th to the 2nd millennium BCE
- Intentional post-mortem modifications observed on the bones
- Indicates caves in the region used as burial sites and for bone modification for thousands of years
The details
Researchers have recently uncovered a significant archaeological find in a cave in Spain.
This discovery is shedding light on ancient burial practices and bone modifications in the Iberian Peninsula.
The find includes several human skeletons dating back to the 5th to the 2nd millennium BCE.
Intentional post-mortem modifications have been observed on the bones.
The study suggests that caves in the region have been used as burial sites and for bone modification for thousands of years.
The intentional modifications, such as fractures and scrapes, were likely performed to extract marrow and other tissues from the bones.
This practice became common in the southern Iberian Peninsula around the 4th millennium BCE.
Radiocarbon dating was employed to determine the age of the individual burials.
This confirmed that they date back to the 5th and 2nd millennium BCE.
Among the remains, an intriguing discovery was made – a shin bone and a cranium that had been modified into a “skull cup.”
This modification indicates an attempt to cleanse the cranium of residual soft tissues.
This suggests a potential utilitarian purpose for the modified skull.
The findings from this cave align with similar cave sites in the southern Iberian Peninsula.
This points to a widespread cultural practice of modifying and utilizing buried human remains for both sustenance and tools.
The researchers believe that further analysis and study are needed to explore potential symbolic meanings behind these modifications.
This remarkable discovery highlights the rich and complex history of burial practices and bone modifications in the Iberian Peninsula.
It provides valuable insights into the lives and customs of ancient societies.
This sheds light on their resourcefulness and cultural practices.
As further research is conducted, it is hoped that more knowledge will be gained about the purposes and meanings behind these fascinating post-mortem modifications.
Article X-ray
Here are all the sources used to create this article:
A cave entrance with a mysterious silhouette of a burial site inside.
This section links each of the article’s facts back to its original source.
If you have any suspicions that false information is present in the article, you can use this section to investigate where it came from.
| independent.co.uk |
|---|
| – Ancient human skeletons have been discovered in a cave in Spain, including one modified as a cranial “skull cup. |
| ” – The intentional post-mortem modifications of the bones date back to about 5th to the 2nd millennium BCE. – |
| The study suggests that caves have been used as burial sites and for bone modification for thousands of years in the Iberian Peninsula. – |
| The practice of modifying buried human remains became common in the southern Iberian Peninsula around the 4th millennium BCE. – Radiocarbon dating was used to determine that the individual burials date back to the 5th and 2nd millennium BCE. – |
| The study documented intentional post-mortem modifications to the bones, including fractures and scrapes. |
| – These modifications may have been made to extract marrow and other tissues from the bones. |
| – Among the remains, a shin bone and a cranium “skull cup” were found, which may have been modified for use as tools. – |
| The modifications on the “skull cup” indicate an attempt to clean the cranium from residual soft tissues. – |
| The findings are consistent with other cave sites in the southern Iberian Peninsula, suggesting a widespread practice of modifying and utilizing buried human remains for food and tools. – |
| The researchers suggest that there may be further symbolic purposes behind these modifications that require further study. |
English 
Portuguese 
Turkish 
Chinese 
German