Dismemberment in ancient Irish burials

Our pre-historic ancestors ceremoniously dismembered their dead, removing flesh from their bodies, before burying them in passage tombs, according to new archeological research. Body parts, notably skulls, are thought to have been kept on display for religious purposes.

The gruesome findings were made by researchers at Queen’s University Belfast, who examined bones from the 4,000-year-old Millin Bay tomb in Co Down, and mirror those found by Swedish archeologists at Carrowmore in Co Sligo.

Previously it had been assumed that the remains had decomposed naturally following exposure to the elements. However the researchers identified cut marks on bones, suggesting that the corpses were dismembered and had their skin scraped off. Eileen Murphy, who worked on the research, drew on her experience at the Aymyrlyg graves excavation in Siberia. There she learnt to look for the tell-tale signs of what is thought to have been an ancient religious practice — short, fine scraping marks on the bone and cuts where tendons and ligaments were joined.

“After studying the dismembered and defleshed Russian remains, I decided to have another look at Irish neolithic bones. It is something that has been overlooked before and will now require a reassessment of our understanding of these ancient burial sites,” she said.

Posted by David on July 26, 2003 10:46 PM