5,000-year-old tomb discovered in the UK

Archaeologists in northern Scotland, United Kingdom, discovered a 5,000-year-old cemetery, from which they exhumed 14 skeletons.

According to a statement issued by national Museum Of Scotland, A team of archaeologists discovered a huge tomb dating back nearly 5,000 years. This was while excavating in the Orkney Islands, an archipelago located north of Scotland in the United Kingdom. The place contains 14 articulated skeletons of women, men and children, including two that were positioned as if they were embracing each other.

According to the foundation, the excavation was led by Hugo Anderson Wymark, head of Neolithic prehistoric conservation at the National Museums of Scotland, and Professor Vicky Cummings, professor of Neolithic archaeology at Cardiff University. In addition, local volunteers participated who also helped find pottery, stone tools and a brooch carved from bone.

This archaeological area is located about 15 kilometers north of the Scottish coast and has long attracted the interest of researchers.

Technical Specifications
The construction dates back, according to experts, to about 3000 BC. C., described as an “engineering achievement” of the Neolithic period. This skeleton is more than 15 meters in diameter and has a stone structure that can be accessed via a long corridor about seven meters long.

In this cantilevered construction, the stones were gradually placed to create cellular chambers that narrowed as they ascended.

In an interview with the newspaper guardianAnderson-Weymark explained that they felt an “incredible emotion” when clearing the earth because they noticed the outline of the tomb: a rectangular space surrounded by chambers with a curved bottom that led them to the 14 articulated skeletons.

“The Orkney Islands are exceptional Rich in antiquitiesBut we never expected to find a grave of this size in such a small-scale excavation. “It is incredible to think that such an impressive monument was about to be lost without recording,” the expert said.

background
According to Anderson, during one of his investigations, he found a note about a farmer’s son who came to excavate in Orkney and in 1896 discovered the remains of ancient walls, a mace, a stone ball, and eight skeletons. This was essential for the location of one of the “engineering feats.”