Oldest children’s tomb discovered in Europe

 

Archaeologists from the University of Colorado have discovered the oldest European tomb of a child in a cave in Italy. The remains, whose age is about 10 thousand years, belong to a girl who did not live even two months. Scientists described the discovery in more detail in an article in the journal Scientific Reports.

Scientists found the remains while exploring the Ligurian part of the Alps. First, they found several cochlear beads, and then a baby skull, belonging to a girl 40-50 days old, who died about 10 thousand years ago. Dental analysis of nitrogen and carbon content showed that the girl’s mother ate mainly plant foods, possibly obtained from the combination. During pregnancy, the mother was subjected to stress that several times caused the girl’s teeth to stop growing.

After her death, the girl was buried with dozens of beads made of shells and stones. The researchers named the girl Neff. The cause of her death is not clear. The fact of the burial, according to scientists, shows that even children were considered whole people, like adults.

A similar burial was discovered by another group in Alaska. This gives reason to believe that the culture of burial of children appeared among the peoples who then migrated to Europe and North America.