In a remarkable archaeological discovery, the remains of at least 12 individuals have been found in a 5,500-year-old Neolithic tomb in Sweden. What makes this finding even more intriguing is that many of the burials are missing some of the largest bones, including skulls, which were seemingly removed at the time of interment. The tomb, a stone chamber, was unearthed by a team of archaeologists in central Sweden and sheds new light on the burial practices of the Early Neolithic period.
The Neolithic period, also known as the New Stone Age, spanned from 7000 to 1700 BCE and marked a significant shift in human lifestyle. During this time, people transitioned from a nomadic hunter-gatherer existence to a settled way of life. They began cultivating plants and domesticating animals for sustenance, a development that forever changed human history.
The discovery of the missing bones in the Swedish tomb has baffled researchers. Typically, smaller bones from feet and hands tend to be absent in megalithic graves, not major skeletal elements such as skulls. However, this particular burial site deviates from the norm, leaving archaeologists wondering about the reasons behind the selective removal.
Karl-Göran Sjögren, an archaeologist at the University of Gothenburg and the lead author of the study detailing this finding, explained, 'We don't know whether that has to do with burial rituals, or what's behind it.' The missing bones may be linked to specific burial customs or cultural practices of the time, but definitive answers remain elusive for now.
The tomb also yielded a wealth of other remains, including bones from rodents, frogs, pigs, and sheep or goats. Although not all of these animal bones date back to the same time period, their presence further enriches our understanding of the ecological and agricultural contexts of the Neolithic era.
Situated in the village of Tiarp, near Falköping, approximately 70 miles northeast of Gothenburg, the stone chamber was discovered in the summer of 2023. The tomb is part of a dolmen, a prehistoric tomb constructed using large stones. This dolmen in Tiarp is believed to be one of Sweden's earliest, dating back to around 3500 B.C. However, traces of even older burials have been found in Sweden, including one that could be up to 8,000 years old.
Inside the burial chamber, the archaeologists uncovered hand and foot bones, fragments of ribs, and teeth from a minimum of 12 individuals, spanning across age groups. Remarkably, the tomb appears to be untouched since the Stone Age, suggesting that the missing bones were intentionally removed during or soon after the burial process.
Karl-Göran Sjögren clarified, 'We haven't seen any injuries on the people buried, so we don't think violence is involved. But we are continuing to study their DNA, and that will show whether they had any diseases.' Indeed, ongoing DNA analysis of the remains may unveil valuable insights into familial relationships and potential diseases among the buried individuals.
The Falköping region, where the tomb is located, is renowned for its numerous Neolithic passage tombs. These tombs have stone burial chambers accessed through narrow passages. The Tiarp dolmen stands out as one of the oldest stone burial chambers not only in Sweden but also across Scandinavia, predating passage graves by 200 to 150 years.
The people buried in this ancient tomb were part of a society that embraced early agricultural practices. The tomb's construction predates the advent of farming techniques by about 500 years, indicating that these individuals were among the pioneers who first embraced farming in the region. They cultivated crops, kept animals, and consumed dairy products—a groundbreaking shift for humanity.
As the researchers delve deeper into their studies, including DNA analysis to uncover familial connections and potential diseases, we eagerly anticipate more insights into the lives and customs of these Neolithic people. The tomb in Tiarp is a window into a bygone era and a testament to the ceaseless quest for knowledge in unraveling our shared human history.
