Human Skull Found In 5,000-Year-Old Scottish Grave Ruin

The discovery of a human skull in a grave is about 5,000 years old in Scotland. (Source: National Museums Scotland)

JAKARTA - The "very rare" 5,000-year-old rubble was found in one of Scotland's Orkney Islands, the Scottish National Museum said in a statement.

The excavation at Holm, East Mainland, Orkney, revealed the rock structure accessed through a 7 meter (23 ft) long hallway and traces of the pyramid of a rough rock, or pile of rock, which may cover it, representing "the peak of neolithic engineering in northern England," the statement said.

Fourteen male, female and child skeletons, as well as other human remains, were found in one of the six smaller spaces surrounding the large stone space.

"In Neolithic times, it would be a very impressive diameter, namely 15 meters, a very large mound, a very large stone building, a very impressive architecture. The cells are a real engineering achievement," Hugo Anderson-Whymark, co-director of prehistoric senior excavation and curators (Neolitics) at the Scottish National Museum told CNN, as quoted November 10.

The two skeletons have been positioned in such a way that they almost embraced each other, with two children placed over their heads, Anderson-Whymark said. However, archaeologists do not yet know the relationship between these individuals.

"The preservation of so many human remains in one part of the monument is amazing, especially as most of it has been robbed for building materials," said archaeologist total Cummings, principal of the School of History, Archeology and Religion at Cardiff University, who co-leaded the excavations in a statement. a statement.

"It is very rare to find these tombs, even in well-maintained tombs, and these remains will provide new insight into all aspects of people's lives," he added.

There are only 12 other similar graves known in Orkney, which are referred to as the graves of Maes Howe type alleys. Most are still visible on the landscape, unlike the latest discoveries buried underground.

Most of the buildings were demolished in the late 18th or early 19th century to be used as stones to build agricultural houses, according to the statement. However, an imperfect excavation in 1896 found eight skeletons and prompted local archaeologist James Walls Cursiter to make the hypothesis, it was the ruins of the tomb.

The paper stored in Curister's personal collection contains more clues that allow archaeologists to conduct geophysical surveys in the hope of properly showing the potential for the tomb, and providing a basis for excavation.

"This discovery is quite surprising," said Anderson-Whymark.

"This is a big thing, but right now it's just a sloping stretch of grass. There's no evidence on the surface to suggest that this tomb was ever there, but this tomb was once an extraordinary monument. We're lucky they've left enough for us."