Prehistoric cemetery in Sudan shows war has been hell forever Reuters 1 hr ago
By Will Dunham
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - All was not well among the peoples who inhabited the east bank of the Nile River in northern Sudan some 13,400 years ago, as revealed by the battered bodies buried in a cemetery at one of the world s oldest sites showing human warfare.
Researchers said on Thursday a re-examination of remains from the Jebel Sahaba cemetery excavated in the 1960s provides new insight into this prehistoric bloodshed, including evidence that there had been a succession of violent encounters rather than a single deadly showdown as previously believed.
Wendorf Archives of the British Museum
Individuals buried at the prehistoric cemetery Jebel Sahaba in Sudan seem to have experienced violence and trauma at several points during their lives. The discovery may help us understand the prehistory of violence before the origin of farming.
At about 13,400 years old, Jebel Sahaba is one of the earliest sites displaying signs of mass conflict. Violence between communities seems to have become more common once people settled in one place to farm, which had begun happening by about 12,000 years ago. But evidence of organised violence among more mobile communities, like those represented by Jebel Sahaba, is unusual.
Study of Prehistoric Cemetery Reveals Years-Long War
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A team of French scientists has completed a study of thousands of bones from the 13,000-year-old Jebel Sahaba cemetery in northern Sudan, and now reports something unexpected: the mass grave, the scientists say, was not the consequence of one huge battle as many previously thought. Instead, it was the result of a series of skirmishes humans fought over a lifetime; quite possibly for resources. (One of which we can only presume was the monolith from
Science News reported on the new study, which the team of researchers recently published in the journal
World s first war was not isolated episode but series of violent events 13,400 years ago - Archaeology haaretz.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from haaretz.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.