A recent study has unveiled a remarkable discovery made by archaeologists in Libya’s Sahara desert, where they uncovered 20 Stone-Age skeletons within and around a rock shelter. Dating back between 8,000 and 4,200 years, these skeletons provide insights into the millennia-long use of the burial site.
Mary Anne Tafuri, a co-author of the study and an archaeologist at the University of Cambridge, suggests that the rock shelter served as a place of memory, where successive generations honored their deceased loved ones.
Approximately 15 women and children were laid to rest within the rock shelter, while five men and juveniles were buried beneath monumental stone mounds called tumuli outside the shelter. These secondary burials occurred during a later period when the region transitioned into a desert.
To determine the age of the skeletons, researchers analyzed isotopic concentrations, revealing that the burials spanned over four millennia, with most of the remains within the rock shelter buried between 7,300 and 5,600 years ago. The interments of males and juveniles beneath the stone mounds commenced around 4,500 years ago, coinciding with the region’s increasing aridity.
Further examination of isotopes in tooth enamel indicated that the ancient individuals buried in the area were indigenous to the vicinity, suggesting a prolonged cultural connection to the region.
The findings also hint at a societal division, with the exclusive use of the rock shelter for female and sub-adult burials suggesting a persistent gender-based division within the society.
Luigi Boitani, a biologist at Sapienza University of Rome, underscores the region’s potential for further archaeological exploration, describing it as an untapped treasure trove waiting to reveal more insights into ancient civilizations.
This recent discovery underscores the importance of protecting the fragile region, which has been off-limits to archaeologists since the revolution that ousted dictator Moammar el Gadhafi. It serves as a reminder of the need for preservation and responsible exploration to prevent any potential damage to these valuable archaeological sites.
