In France, specialists from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap) excavated the remains of a Neolithic settlement in the Montagnac area, in Languedoc. One of the discoveries was a mass grave in which six people were buried.
A summary of the study is published on the Inrap website. The preventive study was carried out at the request of government services, since this territory is destined for comprehensive development.
Archaeologists have identified previously unknown but well-preserved artifacts from the Late Neolithic, as well as burials. One of the burials may surprise: it turned out to be a mass grave. The makeshift grave was unearthed while exploring the ruins of an ancient storage building.
The remains of six people were found there. Analysis showed that five of them were buried at the same time. The sixth was buried a little later. It was determined that the following were buried in the mass grave in chronological order: a teenager between 12 and 14 years old, an adult woman, a child between 4 and 8 years old, a child between 3 and 5 years old, and an infant.
All the bodies were bent at the time of excavation. The last person buried in the grave was a child of about three years old, which gave him the same hunched position. Apparently, the tomb was previously excavated for a new burial. Maybe they were members of the same family. Further analysis of the remains will help clarify this issue.
During the excavations, archaeologists also found remains of residential buildings, cellars, bunkers and three types of cellars. The hollow structures, whether basements or bunkers, are very well preserved; archaeologists have even discovered steps dug directly into the ground; The two basements have entirely stone walls, and at the bottom there are compartments for storing vases and baskets.
“The variety of basement structures indicates a certain level of mastery of the construction equipment of the time,” the researchers write, “it allowed the creation of stable underground spaces that could be used for various purposes, the main of which was conservation. of food products, partially protected from changes in temperature and humidity.
