The research was revealed within the European Journal of Archaeology. Reportedly, the skulls have been discovered inside a construction labelled “Structure Q,” which was not a delegated burial website however a sunken function containing each home and ritual objects. According to Jess Thompson, an archaeologist on the University of Cambridge, who spoke to Live Science, the skulls have been retrieved from earlier burials, dealt with extensively, and later deposited collectively. The bones confirmed indicators of wear and tear however no proof of violence, ruling out theories of enemy trophy heads.
Unusual Ritual Practices Suggested
The fragmented situation of the skulls has led researchers to imagine they have been a part of ancestral rituals. It is speculated that the bones could have been displayed or dealt with for symbolic functions, though no direct proof, similar to modifications for suspension, was discovered. Thompson defined that the importance of human bones seemed to be linked to their perceived energy or efficacy inside the neighborhood.
Not a Typical Burial Site
The skulls have been flippantly lined with soil, which steered that they had been deserted moderately than formally buried. The act of depositing the stays on this context is assumed to symbolize a type of “decommissioning” of the bones, remodeling them into “ex-ancestors.” Thompson famous that the ultimate placement doubtless held a symbolic which means, signifying the tip of their use in rituals.
This discover provides to the rising proof of complicated mortuary practices throughout the Neolithic interval and sheds gentle on how early societies interacted with their lifeless. Further research could reveal further insights into these historic customs.
