Oldest-Ever Discovery Reveals Secrets of Ritual Cremation

A nearly 10,000-year-old pyre discovered in Africa has revealed the country’s oldest cremation.

In a study published in the journal Scientific Advances, an international team of scholars from Africa, Europe, and the United States has identified Africa’s oldest known intentional human cremation, dramatically expanding what archaeologists know about early hunter-gatherer practices. The cremation site was discovered at Hora 1, a site located beneath a rock shelter at the base of Mount Hora in northern Malawi, which has long been used as a burial ground by prehistoric communities.

This discovery marks the first evidence of a deliberately constructed cremation pyre among African foragers of this period. While earlier human remains from other parts of the world, such as Australia’s Lake Mungo, show signs of burning, the Malawi find is the earliest example in Africa of a purpose-built pyre designed to cremate a body through sustained, controlled fire.

Researchers Recovered 170 Bone Fragments

Archaeologists recovered roughly 170 bone fragments from the ash layer which they believe belonged to a short adult female somewhere between the ages of 18 and 60 years old. Analysis of the bones revealed that the body was placed on the pyre soon after death, before the decomposition process began. Cut marks on the deceased’s limb bones suggest a deliberate defleshing or dismemberment took place, while the absence of skull and teeth fragments indicates that the head may have been removed prior to burning. All of these details indicate complex, ritualistic practices within the community, as opposed to accidental burning or routine corpse disposal.

After reconstructing the pyre itself, scientists found that its construction would have required a significant and concentrated communal effort. Microscopic evidence indicates that the fire within the cremation kiln was carefully tended to maintain temperatures in excess of nearly 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Stone tools found within the ash may have been placed there as part of the ritual.

The broader history of the Malawi site adds further context to this incredible discovery. Large fires were built in the same location centuries before the cremation occurred, and people continued to return to the site for centuries after, as is evidenced by fire remains. The long-term activity suggests that the location held enduring symbolic or ritual significance within the community. It also shows that early African foragers engaged in symbolically rich, technically sophisticated mortuary practices, challenging the long-held assumptions about the simplicity of Stone-Age ritual behavior.