A coastal cave in Kenya sheltered the body of a tiny child no longer than three, who was arrayed as if still sleeping, in a purposely dug grave for roughly 78,000 years. Unearthed by archeologists, it is the oldest human burial discovered in Africa to date.
Archeological clues tell that the child was loved by those who buried it: Its body was wrapped in a perishable cloth before it was placed in a grave with legs drawn up to the chest, according to a press release. The toddler s head was resting on what was probably a makeshift pillow.
An artist’s interpretation of Mtoto’s burial. Source: Fernando Fueyo