Unearthing a mystery: Sweden's ancient tomb predates Stonehenge

In Tiarp, Sweden, a megalithic structure older than the famed Stonehenge in the United Kingdom has been discovered. Recent analyses indicate that it is one of the oldest burial chambers in the country. Archaeologists were surprised to find that the tomb was missing parts of the remains. There were no skulls or major bones. What happened to them?

Studies conducted by scientists indicate that the megalithic structure in Tiarp in Sweden is one of the oldest in the country, and possibly in all of Scandinavia. "This is a grave dated to the early Neolithic period, created around 3500 BCE," archaeologist Karl-Göran Sjögren, quoted by the portal sciencedaily.com, pointed out. For comparison, the construction of Stonehenge is dated between 3000 and 2000 BCE.

Archaeologists assess that the grave has remained untouched since the Stone Age. They found it even stranger that parts of the deceased's skeletons were missing. When scientists examined the material from the tomb, they discovered it contains bones of hands and feet, fragments of rib bones and teeth, but very few skulls or larger bones, such as thigh and arm bones.

"Skulls and large bones are missing, which could have been removed from the tomb. We do not know if this is related to burial rituals or something else. It differs from what we usually see in megalithic graves, i.e., stone burial chambers from the Neolithic period. Usually smaller bones of feet and hands are missing," says Sjögren.

Torbjörn Ahlström, a professor of osteology at the University of Lund, studied the found bones. He concluded that the bones came from at least twelve individuals, including infants and elderly people. Archaeologists do not yet know why they died. The results of DNA tests, which will indicate what diseases they may have suffered from, may shed more light on this. DNA tests will also help to discover whether the people buried in the tomb were related.

Falbygden is famous for many traces of people living in these areas during the Stone Age. There are more than 250 corridor graves, large tombs built from stone blocks. However, the chamber in Tiarp is slightly different. What distinguishes it is its construction.

"At each end is a small niche. This is a unique solution in the case of graves in Falbygden," clarifies Karl-Göran Sjögren.