| Neolithic fisherman who died 5,000 years ago, and was found in a mass grave in Northern Chile | |
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A neolithic fisherman who died 5,000 years ago, and had been buried in a mass grave in Northern Chile, 'drowned in saltwater', a new advanced forensic test found.
Researchers from Southampton University in England used a modern forensics technique, used to determine the cause of death, on the ancient remains.
They confirmed saltwater drowning as the cause of death for the fisherman, closing a 5,000-year-old cold case, and opening up new possibilities for assessing the remains of our prehistoric ancestors using modern techniques. |
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The technique tests for diatoms, a group of algae found in oceans, freshwater and soils, inside the bones of victims.
Finding them suggests the person drowned. This is because if they had died before entering the water, they would not have swallowed any saltwater.
The team hope it will help archaeologists understand more about past civilisations in coastal regions, and the human stories behind the remains they discover. |
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