9,500-year-old cremation site upends what scientists know about ancient human societies
CNN••world
Key Points:
- Burned bone fragments found near Mount Hora in northern Malawi represent the oldest known cremation pyre in Africa, dating back about 9,500 years and linked to hunter-gatherers who cremated a woman’s body.
- The pyre site, Hora 1, revealed a large ash mound and evidence of a carefully managed fire requiring significant labor and resources, including around 70 pounds of dry wood and active stoking to maintain high temperatures over several hours or days.
- Forensic analysis showed cut marks on the bones indicating flesh removal and likely decapitation before cremation, suggesting complex mortuary rituals and social practices among ancient hunter-gatherers previously thought rare for this period.
- The discovery challenges previous assumptions that cremation in Africa
