A groundbreaking discovery in Turkey has shown a human sacrifice ritual site dating back approximately 5,000 years. Researchers have uncovered the remains of mostly teenage girls in Başur Höyük, a site once part of ancient Mesopotamia. Although the site was discovered nearly a decade ago, new research sheds light on the importance of the ritual and the people involved.
The remains of several individuals were found in stone tombs in the area, and a recent study has shown new insights into the rituals of this ancient society. Scientists have confirmed that the sacrificed individuals were mostly adolescent girls, with some as young as 12. These findings were based on analysis of skeletons from the site, with a specific focus on the age and sex of those buried.
David Wengrow, a professor of comparative archaeology at University College London, who conducted the study, shared his surprise with Live Science, saying, “The fact that they are mostly adolescents is fascinating and surprising.” The study found that the tombs contained two 12-year-old children surrounded by eight bodies of violently killed individuals, hinting at the possibility of early “royal” tombs and the practice of “retainer sacrifice.”
The latest findings, published on March 17 in the Cambridge Archaeological Journal, point to the importance of adolescence in this ancient society. DNA analysis of nine skeletons showed that the individuals buried together were not related, and most were female. “So we are dealing with adolescents brought together, or coming together voluntarily, from biologically unrelated groups to carry out a very extreme form of ritual,” said Wengrow.
While this discovery offers a glimpse into an ancient practice, researchers are still unsure about the meaning behind the rituals. The previous theory suggested that young royals were buried with their attendants, who were then sacrificed. However, the new research suggests that these societies may have been more flexible than originally thought, with hierarchies and leadership based on skill rather than inheritance.
The researchers now propose that the burials may have been part of a complex funeral tradition tied to age and gender, rather than a royal sacrificial practice. Wengrow suggests, “Much more likely, what we see in the cemetery is a subset of a larger group, other members of which survived the ritual process and went on to full adulthood.”
The findings show that in some ancient societies, leaders were chosen based on their skills, and age and gender played significant roles. The Bronze Age burials of adolescents in Turkey suggest that the society may have practiced rituals linked to an ancient cult or inter-group violence, possibly involving competition for resources or power.
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