News

Rare Child Burial From 8,000 Years Ago Was Found In Indonesia

Archaeologists have uncovered a rare burial of children from 8,000 years ago in Indonesia. The discovery is also the first of its kind to be discovered from the early mid-Holocene period.

The remains of the child were estimated to be between four and eight years old at the time of death and provided an expert to see how the funeral was conducted at that time.

Red ocher paint was placed on the child’s cheek and a stone was found under his head.

Through the discovery as well, it was found that the child’s arms and legs had been removed before the funeral. It is a practice that has been observed at other funeral sites from the same time period.

“The lack of long bones is a practice that has been documented in several other burials from a similar time period in Java, Borneo, and Flores, but this is the first time we have seen it in a child’s burial,” said the archaeologist.

“We don’t know why long bone removal was practiced, but it’s likely some aspect of the belief system of the people who lived at this time,” she said.

The remains of the children were found in Makpan Cave on Alor Island. It is the first child burial of the Holocene period. Hopefully, the discovery, it can explain how people at that time viewed children.

Picture: Daily Mail

“By comparing other adult burials we have found from the same time period with this child burial in a future project, we hope to build a chronology and general view of burial practices in this region from between 12,000 to 7,000 years ago, which at the moment is still scant, “she added.

A paleontologist from the Australian National University, Sofia Samper Carro says the child’s gender and age are still unknown.

Picture: Daily Mail

Although the teeth correspond to the six- to eight-year-old teeth, the skeleton is closer to the four- or five-year-olds.

“We want to do some further paleo-health research to find out if this smaller skeleton is related to diet or the environment or possibly to being genetically isolated on an island,” Samper Carro said.

“Adult skulls on Alor were also relatively small,” she added.

Source: Daily Mail

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

Tous les Jours Expands in Malaysia with New Outlets at Sunway Pyramid and Sunway Velocity

Malaysian fans of delectable K-inspired baked goods will be delighted to hear that Tous Les… Read More

4 hours ago

Stitch Lands in KL, Disney’s Blue Menace Takes Over Pavilion This School Holiday

Get ready for a school holiday filled with tropical vibes as Pavilion Kuala Lumpur transforms… Read More

4 hours ago

Malaysia Gears Up for Southeast Asia’s First Smart City Expo, Here’s Why You Should Care

Kuala Lumpur just flipped the switch on something big. The 100-day countdown to Smart City… Read More

4 hours ago

Ejen Ali: The Movie Review, A Next-Level Win for Malaysian Animation

Ejen Ali: The Movie 2 isn’t just a sequel, it’s a bold upgrade that proves… Read More

5 hours ago

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor

When Creativity Meets Comfort: LEGO® and IKEA Malaysia Reimagine Home Decor With its latest collection… Read More

2 days ago

TCL Malaysia Opens First-Ever Brand Store at Sunway Pyramid by Vivid Concepts

TCL, a global leading consumer electronics brand, officially launched its first-ever TCL Brand Store in… Read More

2 days ago

This website uses cookies.