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Upper Palaeolithic infant burials

Thomas Einwögerer1, Herwig Friesinger, Marc Händel

  • 1Prehistoric Commission of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1010 Vienna, Austria.

Nature
|November 17, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Newborn burials from the Upper Palaeolithic period, decorated with red ochre and ornaments, suggest infants were ritually buried. These findings indicate Stone Age hunter-gatherer communities valued newborns as full members.

Area of Science:

  • Archaeology
  • Paleontology
  • Anthropology

Background:

  • Upper Palaeolithic child burials are rare, prompting debate on infant treatment.
  • Adult graves are more common, leading to questions about societal inclusion of infants.

Observation:

  • Two infant burials were discovered at Krems-Wachtberg, Lower Austria.
  • These burials date to the Upper Palaeolithic period, approximately 27,000 years ago.

Findings:

  • The infant bodies were covered with red ochre.
  • Ornaments were found decorating the bodies, indicating deliberate placement.
  • The burial practices suggest ritualistic treatment of the infants.

Implications:

  • These findings challenge the notion of differential treatment of infants in Stone Age societies.
  • Newborns were likely considered integral members of their hunter-gatherer communities.
  • The burials provide significant insight into Upper Palaeolithic social structures and beliefs.

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