A strong sense of community
Another sign of the special care given to infants was that none of the bones had been disturbed — unlike those of the adults.
"We discovered that sometimes, to make room, they moved the bones from older graves, but never those of newborns. No grave of an infant has been disturbed," said Bouzouggar, who interpreted this as a sign of respect.
The two experts dismissed any suggestion that the children had been sacrificed.
"There is no evidence to suggest that the infants were sacrificed — no signs of violence for example," said Humphrey.
"My feeling is that they died naturally and were grieved, and buried in a way similar to that of older members of the community."
For archaeologists, the discovery contains a wealth of information that sheds new light on the lifestyle and behaviour of the prehistoric people who inhabited the region.
"The infant skeletons are exceptionally complete and well preserved and will allow us to undertake studies of infant health, growth and diet," Humphrey said.
"The adult skeletons will reveal information on illnesses and injuries, diet and activity patterns."
The researchers said the burial site indicated a strong sense of community and contained the remains of people from all kinds of classes.
One of the graves belonged to a 16-year-old from a very high social rank.
The horns of a large animal as well as personal objects and tools were arranged on both sides of his skeleton.
"We may never know how these humans hunted, how they reproduced, how they behaved with their family, but these graves are an invaluable source of information," Bouzouggar said.
"Indeed, some deaths were more honoured than others. The graves represent a whole life. From the dead, we can see the world of those who were alive at this time."
AFP
http://technology.iafrica.com/news/science/1064661.htm