78 Headless Skeletons Unearthed in Neolithic Slovakian Ditch
Researchers from Germany's Kiel University and Slovenia's Academy of Sciences have uncovered 78 ancient human skeletons, nearly all headless, in a ditch near Vráble, Slovakia. The remains date back to approximately 5250–4950 BCE and were found in seemingly random positions, stacked on top of one another.
Key details of the discovery:
- Only one skeleton, that of a child, had its skull intact.
- Evidence indicates skulls were removed skillfully after death, not by violent decapitation.
- The burials are interpreted as intentional, possibly part of a Neolithic cultural tradition, rather than a massacre.
The excavation began in 2012 and covers three Neolithic neighborhoods, with the ditch surrounding one of them. The study was published in Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society.
"These burial practices likely held different meanings than modern equivalents, making interpretation challenging," researchers emphasize.
The researchers stress that these burial practices likely held different meanings than modern equivalents, making interpretation challenging.