Cremation pyre in Africa thought to be world's oldest containing adult remains

[Derek Smart']

Archaeologists uncover 9,500-year-old pyre in Africa, shattering the assumption that adult remains were not cremated until much later.

A remarkable discovery was made by researchers in northern Malawi, who uncovered a cremation pyre dating back approximately 9,500 years. This ancient structure is believed to be the oldest known to contain adult remains and is considered a significant find for our understanding of human history.

The team found 170 individual human bone fragments, estimated to belong to an adult woman around 1.5 meters tall, in two clusters within the pyre. The bones showed signs of being separated at the joints, with flesh having been removed before the body was cremated. However, it is unclear whether this was done as part of a violent act or for funerary purposes.

Dr Jessica Cerezo-Román from the University of Oklahoma and Dr Jessica Thompson from Yale University, who led the study, believe that body parts may have been taken as tokens during the funeral ritual. This practice, although seemingly unusual to modern sensibilities, is comparable to keeping locks of hair or scattering relatives' ashes in a meaningful place.

The rock shelter used for the pyre also shows signs of being a natural monument, with burials taking place from around 16,000 to 8,000 years ago. Other complete skeletons and small collections of bones were discovered in the area.

While it remains unclear why this woman was given such special treatment, researchers found that at least one fire had been lit above the pyre's location possibly as an act of remembrance. The site also features multiple campfires, indicating the shelter would have served not only for funerals but also for daily life.

The discovery challenges previous assumptions about the cremation practices in Africa and provides insight into the complexity of ancient hunter-gatherer communities. It highlights that people still keep tokens or ashes as part of their funerary traditions and raises questions about social roles and cultural significance during this time period.

 

[Mega Man's Football 3D]

I'm not surprised they found evidence of cremation dating back to 9,500 years ago in Africa . I mean, it makes sense that early humans would use pyres for burials or maybe even as a way to honor their dead. The fact that we're still finding remains from this time period is just mind-blowing . But what's interesting (and a bit unsettling) is the idea that body parts might have been taken as tokens during funerals... like, what does that even mean? Are we talking about some sort of ancient ritual where they'd take bits and pieces of the deceased to use in ceremonies or something? And the fact that fires were lit above the pyre's location for remembrance is a nice touch . Still, I wish more context was given on why this woman got such special treatment... was she a queen or something?

 

[Tho]

I mean, can you believe it? They found a 9,500-year-old pyre in Africa and it's got adult remains! That's wild. So they're saying that people used to do cremation rituals back then too? Like, who knew, right? It's crazy to think about how our understanding of human history is getting updated all the time.

And I love how they found this one woman with her bones separated at the joints and stuff. It's like, what was going on here? Was it a funeral or was someone just messing around with her body parts? The fact that they think she might have been taken as tokens during the ritual is really interesting.

I mean, I know some people might find this weird, but to me it's just fascinating. It's like, our ancestors were doing all these things that are totally foreign to us now. But at the same time, it shows how much we've got in common with them. Like, they loved their families and wanted to honor their dead too.

Anyway, I'm just gonna sit here and process this for a bit. It's definitely made me think about how different things were back then.

 

[Brain-Damaged]

I gotta say, this discovery is blowing my mind . I mean, 9,500 years old? That's crazy! I've always thought that cremation was a more recent thing, but it seems like humans have been doing it for way longer than we think . And the fact that they found an entire pyre with individual bones separated at the joints is wild . It makes me wonder what kind of rituals and traditions were going on back then . I'm also kinda curious about why this woman got the VIP treatment, was she like a queen or something? Anyway, it's cool that we're getting more insight into human history and how our ancestors lived . Can't wait to see what other cool discoveries come out of this rock shelter !

 

[Aggressive Alpaca]

I'm loving this discovery! 9,500 years is like, totally ancient! I mean, we're used to thinking that cremation was only done later on in history, but it turns out that our ancestors were doing it way back then too! And the fact that they took body parts as tokens during funerals... that's so cool! Like, who knew people used to do that? I'm all about learning new things and exploring different perspectives. It just goes to show how complex and interesting human history is! I can totally see why this discovery is getting everyone excited. Can't wait to hear more about it!

 

[Xerothermic Xenomorph]

This is crazy! I mean, 9,500 years old?! That's even older than my grandparents were born! The fact that they cremated a woman like that, separate her bones from flesh... it's mind-blowing. And the part about tokens being taken as part of a funeral ritual? That's trippy too . I always thought we had a pretty good idea of how humans used to live in Africa, but this changes everything . What was going on in those societies that they needed to create these elaborate rituals around death? And the fact that it might've been done for funerary purposes or as some sort of act of remembrance... wow . This discovery is giving me all kinds of feels

 

[Gentle Goose]

I'm low-key surprised they found a 9,500-year-old cremation pyre in Africa... I mean, it's not like the whole continent isn't ancient enough already . But for real though, the fact that they think body parts were taken as tokens during funeral rituals is kinda wild . Like, what even was the point of taking someone's arm or leg? Was it to use in a game of some sort or what? Also, can we talk about how weird it is that fire was lit above the pyre possibly for remembrance? It's like they're trying to tell us something but are actually just being all cryptic .

 

[Ugly Unicorn]

I'm still reeling from this remarkable find ! The idea that our ancestors were engaging in cremation rituals for adults is a total game-changer. I mean, think about it - 9,500 years ago, humans were already getting all fancy with the whole pyre thing. It's fascinating to see how their funerary practices were still rooted in traditions we know today, like keeping tokens or ashes as mementos .

The fact that this woman was given such special treatment is just...wow. I love how the researchers are trying to unravel the mystery behind it - was it a violent act or a meaningful ritual? Either way, it's clear that our ancestors were thinking about death and the afterlife in ways that are still relatable to us today .

This discovery has me thinking about the complexities of human societies so much. I mean, we're still arguing over what constitutes a "proper" funeral these days, and yet our ancient ancestors were already getting it right . It's a reminder that, despite all our progress, we're still just one big, messy family - with all the quirks and traditions that come with it .