Bronze Age children sacrificed in Turkey are unearthed in ancient tomb

Gruesome evidence of ancient child sacrifice has been unearthed in Turkey.

Almost a dozen children who were brutally killed in a ritual sacrifice have been uncovered in an early Bronze Age cemetery adorned with valuable goods.

The children, aged from 11 to young adults, were buried in the coffin-like stone tomb between 3100 and 2800 BC. 

Some of these skeletons reveal evidence of brutal stabbings – deep enough to score the skull. 

Researchers claim the condition of the bones, the age of those killed, and the assortment of riches found alongside the bodies, suggest these were not natural deaths — but sacrifices. 

One theory is that the children were killed by Bronze Age leaders ‘in a show of power’ as a way to keep society in check and reinforce its social hierarchies. 

The fear that sacrifices inspired at the time allowed the terrifying practice to function as a stepping-stone to help build and maintain power in early societies, researchers claim.  

A large cist tomb discovered at the at Başur Höyük site in southeast Turkey, with the remains of eight skeletons in and around it 

The newly-found evidence of child sacrifice at Başur Höyük throws new light onto the people that gave rise to this civilisation – and pushes back estimates of when sacrificial deaths began in the region by half a century

The newly-found evidence of child sacrifice at Başur Höyük throws new light onto the people that gave rise to this civilisation – and pushes back estimates of when sacrificial deaths began in the region by half a century

Dr Brenna Hasset of the Natural History Museum in London led the team of physical anthropologists at the archaeological dig site at Başur Höyük, in Upper Tigris region of southeast Turkey.

The site is located on the edge of the region that would later become Mesopotamia, which is considered by many to be the cradle of western civilisation and culture.

Mesopotamia was also known for human sacrifice, most famously at the Royal Cemetery of Ur.

The evidence of child sacrifice at Başur Höyük throws new light onto the people that gave rise to this civilisation – and pushes back estimates of when sacrificial deaths began in the region by half a century.

‘The burials are remarkable because of the youth of the individuals, the number that were buried and the large wealth of objects that were buried with them,’ study lead author Dr Hasset said.

‘There are various pieces of evidence which suggest that these young people did not die accidentally or naturally – rather they were sacrificed.’

Researchers unearthed the bodies of two children, buried lying down inside the tomb-like chamber.

At their feet, just outside the stone coffin, were eight other young people.

According to Dr Hasset, these bodies had been carefully and deliberately positioned outside of the tomb, with valuable goods spread around them to indicate the social value of the children inside the tomb.

Researchers were unable to find a cause of death for all of the bodies.

However, two of the skeletons found at the Başur Höyük site displayed evidence of sharp force trauma, including stab and cut wounds deep enough to graze the bone.

This suggests an unnatural cause of death for the children at the tomb.

‘It is unlikely that these children and young people were killed in a massacre or conflict,’ Dr Hasset noted.

‘The careful positioning of the bodies and the evidence of violent death suggest that these burials fit the same pattern of human sacrifice seen at other sites in the region.’

Researchers believe the evidence of violent deaths, as well as the presence of valuable goods found alongside bodies outside the tomb, point to Başur Höyük being a site of Retainer sacrifice – a practice observed in Mesopotamia.

Evidence of the sharp force trauma, including stab and cut wounds deep enough to graze the bone, were observed on the head of one of the skeletons (pictured above)

Evidence of the sharp force trauma, including stab and cut wounds deep enough to graze the bone, were observed on the head of one of the skeletons (pictured above)

Retainer sacrifice was commonplace in royal tombs of ancient Mesopotamia and saw courtiers, guards, musicians, handmaidens and grooms commit suicide during the burial process of a royal.

Although it was originally thought this was done with poison, evidence uncovered at the cemetery at Ur suggest palace attendants were killed with a sharp instrument – like a pike – speared through their skull.

Some believe these sacrifices were made to demonstrate the sway a particular elite had over his or her flock at the time, while others believe the sacrificial killings were a ritual of fertility to the land.

Researchers were able to date the bodies of children and young people unearthed at Başur Höyük, which are between 4818 and 5118 years-old, by examining dental remains.

The excavation site in Turkey. The coffin-like tomb unearthed by researchers sits at a crossroads between ancient Bronze Age cultures and Mesopotamia, which spanned a region inhabited by modern-day Iraq, as well as parts of Turkey, Iran, Syria and Kuwait 

The excavation site in Turkey. The coffin-like tomb unearthed by researchers sits at a crossroads between ancient Bronze Age cultures and Mesopotamia, which spanned a region inhabited by modern-day Iraq, as well as parts of Turkey, Iran, Syria and Kuwait 

The remains of at least 11 people, both male and female, ranging from age 11 to young adults, were uncovered in an excavation of three graves sites at Başur Höyük 

The remains of at least 11 people, both male and female, ranging from age 11 to young adults, were uncovered in an excavation of three graves sites at Başur Höyük 

Dr Hasset said the bodies were carefully and deliberately positioned outside of the tomb, with valuable goods (pictured) spread around them to indicate social value 

Dr Hasset said the bodies were carefully and deliberately positioned outside of the tomb, with valuable goods (pictured) spread around them to indicate social value 

More than 100 bronze spearheads retaining trace textiles from bundling were discovered distributed throughout the internal chamber of the coffin-like tomb 

More than 100 bronze spearheads retaining trace textiles from bundling were discovered distributed throughout the internal chamber of the coffin-like tomb 

The team, funded by a grant from the British Institute at Ankara, believe the evidence discovered inside the burial tomb at Başur Höyük points to the emergence of a hierarchal society in the region.

‘We see human sacrifice occurring in a number of societies, throughout time and across the globe, as human societies form larger and more stratified societies,’ Dr Hassett said.

‘The finds at Başur Höyük, which sits on the edge of the society that gave rise to the first states in Mesopotamia, give us a unique chance to understand the role human sacrifice plays in the formation of early states.’

HOW DID HUMAN SACRIFICE TAKE PLACE IN MESOPOTAMIA?

Human sacrifice was commonplace in ancient Mesopotamia, which is often referred to as the birthplace of western civilisation.

Evidence of the practice was unearthed in the Royal Cemetery of Ur, a lavish series of tombs that formed the resting place of powerful rulers in Mesopotamia.

As well as housing the buried royal statesperson, the tombs are also home to the bodies of courtiers, guards, musicians, handmaidens and grooms.

These palace attendants committed suicide inside the chambers as part of the burial practices.

Known as retainer sacrifice, it was originally thought their deaths were caused by poison.

However, bone evidence uncovered at the cemetery at Ur suggest palace attendants were actually killed with a sharp instrument – like a pike – speared through their skull.

The remains of a female body found at Ur had been exposed to heat before burial and treated with mercury sulphide to delay decomposition, suggesting the palace attendants’ bodies remained unburied for a long time, possible due to lengthy funerary ceremonies for the royal.

It’s unclear whether the human sacrifices were voluntary, or involuntary.

Some believe these sacrifices were made to demonstrate the sway a particular elite had over his or her flock at the time, while others believe the sacrificial killings were a ritual of fertility to the land.

Başur Höyük sits at a crossroads between ancient Bronze Age cultures and Mesopotamia, which spanned a region inhabited by modern-day Iraq, as well as parts of Turkey, Iran, Syria and Kuwait.

Mesopotamia, which saw the creation of the wheel, the first planted crops and the development of cursive script, mathematics, astronomy and agriculture, is often considered the cradle of western civilisation.

Addressing the significance of the tomb, Dr Hasset said: ‘Previously, the most well-known example of human sacrifice from this area is the monumental discovery of the Royal Cemetery of Ur in Mesopotamia proper, where hundreds of burials were identified as sacrifices.

‘This discovery moves the investigation of human sacrifice in the region 500 years earlier and more than 500 miles to the north, and we can now begin to wonder how it was introduced.’

Several people had also been buried outside of the tomb and lay surrounded by elaborate ornaments and grave goods, suggesting this was a ‘retainer’ burial – these were commonplace in early Mesopotamia 

Several people had also been buried outside of the tomb and lay surrounded by elaborate ornaments and grave goods, suggesting this was a ‘retainer’ burial – these were commonplace in early Mesopotamia 

Dr Brenna Hasset of the Natural History Museum in London led the team of physical anthropologists at the archaeological dig site at Başur Höyük, in Upper Tigris region of southeast Turkey

Dr Brenna Hasset of the Natural History Museum in London led the team of physical anthropologists at the archaeological dig site at Başur Höyük, in Upper Tigris region of southeast Turkey

The Başur Höyük child burial site is 500 years older than the famous Royal Cemetery of Ur, a lavish series of tombs that formed the resting final place of the most powerful rulers in Mesopotamia.

Evidence of child sacrifice at Başur Höyük now pushes back estimates for when the practice started in the region by almost half a century.

In addition to the evidence of child sacrifice, excavations by Dr Hasset and the team revealed a further series of mysterious burials from the site, including a mass death pit containing at least fifty individuals buried simultaneously.

A new Arts and Humanities Research Council project led by Dr Hassett will bring together an international team including Natural History Museum DNA scientists Professor Ian Barnes and Dr Selina Brace, Dr Suzanne Pilaar Birch of the University of Georgia at Athens, and Dr Haluk Sağlamtimur of Ege University.

The newly-formed team will use modern molecular and bio-archaeological techniques to investigate this mass grave, and uncover how they affected the beginnings of civilisation in the west.

The latest findings were published by in the journal Antiquity on June 28 2018.

Royal cemetery of Ur, located in modern-day Iraq was one of the pre-eminent cities of Mesopotamia. Most of the tombs in the royal cemetery date from around 2600 BC and show evidence of human sacrifice, with palace attendants stabbed to death and buried alongside riches outside the tomb of the royal 

Royal cemetery of Ur, located in modern-day Iraq was one of the pre-eminent cities of Mesopotamia. Most of the tombs in the royal cemetery date from around 2600 BC and show evidence of human sacrifice, with palace attendants stabbed to death and buried alongside riches outside the tomb of the royal 

A gold helmet dating back to  2600BC, unearthed in the Royal Cemetery at Ur. The tomb of Meskalamdug ('hero of the good land') was discovered by English archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley in the Royal Cemetery of Ur in 1924. It contained dozens of gold artefacts, including the helmet (pictured) with an inscription of the king's name 

A gold helmet dating back to  2600BC, unearthed in the Royal Cemetery at Ur. The tomb of Meskalamdug (‘hero of the good land’) was discovered by English archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley in the Royal Cemetery of Ur in 1924. It contained dozens of gold artefacts, including the helmet (pictured) with an inscription of the king’s name 

WHAT WAS THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE?

The Assyrian Empire was a complex Mesopotamian civilisation dating from 2,500 BC to around 600 BC.

Mesopotamia, an area of ancient Asia, was where people first gathered in large cities, created governments, and learned to write. 

Alongside other Mesopotamian groups like ancient Babylon and the Sumerian cities, the Assyrian Empire was one of the earliest civilisations in history.

As its height, the empire stretched from Egypt up through what is now Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and into Turkey.

As its height, the Assyrian Empire (red) stretched from Egypt up through what is now Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and into Turkey

As its height, the Assyrian Empire (red) stretched from Egypt up through what is now Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and into Turkey

Turkey’s Kültepe district was home to a settlement of the Old Assyrian Empire from the 21st to 18th centuries BC.

Over 1,000 cuneiform tablets were found in the area in 1925, revealing a rich and complex cultural heritage.

Much of our knowledge of early human societies comes from stone tablets such as these, leading some scholars to label Mesopotamia ‘the place where history began’.



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