New research in Scotland's Sculptor's Cave has found some potentially horrific discoveries.
Radiocarbon dating found an array of dismembered body parts, including children's heads, were left there more than 3,200 years ago in the late Bronze Age from 12,000 BC...
Classic decapitation was involved.
more recent skulls, dated to 200 to 400AD, showed signs they have been severed, indicating human sacrifice took place in the caves....
"The cervical vertebra upper bone in the necks of all of them have got cut marks indicating decapitation.
"Six individuals had their heads violently removed in the cave itself."
And a curious emphasis on children:
It is believed children's heads were cut off once dead and placed on poles in the entrance as a sign of reverence rather than a warning...
It's a very rich article, full of eerie details like this: "Some of the child skulls had abrasion marks - a sign they may have been polished - as part of the display..." And "All were attacked in the same way - assaulted from behind with their chin held down to the chest, so more than one person was involved in their execution."
(thanks to Tim Pendry)
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