The world's oldest cemetery created by mysterious ancient humans appears

Scientists have found evidence of what may be the oldest human burial in the world. The team believes that several Naledi remains, dating back about 300,000 years, show signs of being intentionally buried in a symbolized burial chamber, suggesting complex burial practices. But other scientists aren't so sure.

Above: Reconstruction of the head of the Naledi by ancient artist John Guche.

In 2013, a team of scientists discovered some remarkable fossils in a cave system in South Africa: about 15 remains belonging to a completely unknown human species. This ancient human, named Homo naledi, has an amazing combination of modern and ancient characteristics that makes it difficult to put on the evolutionary tree.

Now, the research team has made some bold new claims about species and locations. Several Naledi bodies were found in depressions deep in the cave, which appear to have been deliberately buried here after death.

The researchers cited several details that led them to this conclusion. First, the depth of the cave alone indicates that it was intentionally buried. The bodies were found in the position of a fetus, one of whom was holding a stone tool. The depressions appear to have "cut" lines on the edges, suggesting that the hole was dug artificially and then filled back in, rather than a natural depression.

The implications of this are very profound. First, it predates the earliest known Homo sapiens burial by more than 100,000 years, and it suggests that given the much smaller brain of Homo nalediens, its behavior is much more complex than people think.

Above: Left: A depression containing the remains of at least four Naledi children. Right: CT scan reconstruction of one of the skeletons.

Professor Chris Stringer, an expert on human evolution at the Natural History Museum in London, was not involved in the study, but said: "If you give them special acts of burial, it's not something a person can do. There must be a group of people going there, dragging these bodies and burying them. They had to take something down and dig a hole. Someone is making torches to keep them alive in the time below. This is indeed a complex and planned act. And then you ask, can a creature without language do this? This is another puzzle that needs to be solved. ”

Even more striking, the walls of the cave are carved with carvings that seem to convey meaning. This includes geometric shapes such as triangles, squares, and crosses, which may have been part of the funeral ritual if done by the Naledi people. Evidence of fire also exists, which, of course, is necessary for anyone venturing into the depths of the cave.

Above: Etchings found on cave walls near the burial site show geometric shapes, suggesting meaning.

The problem is that until now, it has been difficult to date exactly these etchings or fires, so it's likely that other humans made them when they ventured into the cave tens of thousands of years later. For some scientists, the size of the Naledi brain is also a thorny question.

Chris Stringer, an expert on human evolution, said: "It is very challenging to perform such complex behaviors in an ape-sized brain. For me, the size of the brain is a very critical issue. The brain is very expensive in energy. Roughly speaking, the assumption is that the increase in brain size increases with the complexity of behavior, especially Neanderthals and us. So if the Naledi can do all this with a brain half his size, why can't we? If the Naledi brain is as big as an ape, then what is the use of our extra brain power? ”

Other scientists also showed restraint and did not jump to conclusions.

Paul Pettitt of Durham University said: "This is an admirable attempt to prove that at least two bodies were deliberately buried in shallow pits, and we certainly cannot rule out the possibility. I don't believe the team has proven that this was a deliberate burial. Let's go before we run. ”

The fact that the paper hasn't been peer-reviewed and the principal investigator is promoting an upcoming book and a Netflix special gives us reason to pause a little longer. Further research needs to be conducted in cave systems to find more evidence.

If friends like it, stay tuned to "Know the New"!