Skull fractures suggest servants of Egypt’s ancient kings were sacrificed
Study of remains taken from royal cemetery at Umm el-Qa’ab appears to confirm early Egyptologist’s theory
TL;DR
- Research on skulls from the Umm el-Qa’ab royal cemetery suggests servants of early Egyptian kings were sacrificed upon their ruler's death.
- 18 out of 46 examined skulls showed signs of potentially lethal trauma, such as fractures and a chopping injury.
- The trauma is unlikely to have been caused by a mace, but possibly by flat, wide objects made of wood or antler.
- This study is the first to examine human remains from the tombs themselves to evaluate retainer sacrifice.
- The practice of retainer sacrifice appears to have ended with the beginning of the Second Dynasty.
- Statuettes may have replaced human sacrifices in later periods.
- Similar sacrifices have occurred across different cultures and times.