A recent archaeological discovery in the small Belgian town of Pommerœul, near the French border, revealed an unusual mix of human remains from different periods within a single tomb.

Using advanced DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating, a team of researchers determined that a burial initially classified as Roman actually contains Late Neolithic bones combined with a Gallo-Roman skull, which was added centuries later.

The tomb, known as “Tomb 26”, was discovered in the 1970s and contained bones arranged in a flexed position, a practice more common in prehistoric times than in the Roman era. The presence of a Roman-style bone hairpin next to the skull initially suggested a Roman-era burial.

neolithic tomb belgium
Location of Pommerœul (star), the Gallo-Roman site of Tongeren and the Neolithic sites mentioned in the text. Credit: B. Veselka et al.

However, recent carbon-14 tests have confirmed that the skeleton’s bones belong to different Neolithic individuals, while the skull and hairpin are from a much later period.

DNA analysis conducted by an international team shows that the bones belong to at least five different individuals who lived at separate intervals, suggesting a new hypothesis: the remains were manipulated and assembled postmortem.

This kind of practice is unusual and supports the theory that, at some point during the Roman period, someone decided to “complete” or “reassemble” the skeleton of an ancient inhabitant by adding a skull and artifacts from their own era.

neolithic tomb belgium
The cranium from grave 26. Credit: B. Veselka et al.

It’s a unique finding that illustrates the complexity of ancient funerary practices, the researchers state. The bones were selected, a suitable place was chosen, and the elements were carefully arranged to imitate correct anatomical order. The resulting burial reflects great care and planning, as well as a sound knowledge of human anatomy. The Gallo-Roman contribution of a skull to the composite individual is evident, but the motivation remains unclear, they explain. They add that perhaps this community was influenced by superstition or felt a need to connect with an individual who had once occupied the area before them.

In addition to the composite skeleton, researchers found badger bones in the tomb, raising further questions about the role of these animal remains in funerary rituals. Although badgers are natural burrowers, the discovery of a burned phalanx suggests possible ritual activity.

Pommerœul’s Tomb 26 contributes to our growing understanding of the variability of human burial practices and provides a unique link between the Late Neolithic and Roman worlds. Whether the Neolithic bones come from Pommerœul burials or more distant mortuary contexts, and whether the assembly of the bones took place in the Late Neolithic or Roman period, the presence of the ‘individual’ was clearly intentional, the archaeologists conclude.

SOURCES

Veselka B, Reich D, Capuzzo G, et al. Assembling ancestors: the manipulation of Neolithic and Gallo-Roman skeletal remains at Pommerœul, Belgium. Antiquity. Published online 2024:1-16. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.158

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