A recently uncovered mass grave in China, housing headless skeletons, has been identified as the world’s largest known headhunting massacre in Neolithic Asia, dating back 4,100 years, as detailed in a study published in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.
The grave, situated at the Honghe site in Northeast China, contained 43 individuals, with 32 believed to have been victims of the same headhunting event. All victims were exclusively female or children, and their bones showed evidence of head severing, including cut marks on the cervical vertebrae.
The sheer brutality observed in the grave suggests a high level of cruelty during the headhunting events, leading experts to suspect that the site was abandoned following the mass killing.
The researchers explained, “In this study, human skeletons from the Honghe site, dated 4100 and 4400 years ago in Northeast China, were investigated. Visual examination and imaging technique were used to examine signs of decapitation.”
Also Read: Punjab’s Model Graveyard Initiative Across Cities
While the motivations behind the headhunting events remain unclear, researchers speculate a potential link to ritualistic practices. The study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the history of violence in Northeast Asia during the Neolithic Age and to illuminate the ideologies of hunter-gatherer-fisher societies from that period.
The scientists hope their findings will provide insights into the history of violence in Northeast Asia and offer a glimpse into the thinking and ideology of human societies, particularly those of hunter-gatherer-fishers, during the Neolithic Age.
