A burial site in an isolated area of Sudan has uncovered evidence of an ancient, previously unknown funeral ritual that took place 4,000 years ago in a forgotten African kingdom, a new study found.
The study, first published in the journal Azania, revealed that the grave contained a ceramic vessel filled with charred plant and wood particles, as well as animal bones and insect fragments, all believed to be part of a funeral feast.
Archaeologists who worked on the study said they were unaware of similar cases, raising questions about the ritual's significance.
The study described the 2018 discovery of a burial site for a middle-aged man during a survey project in northeast Sudan’s Bayuda Desert. The site dated back to between 2050 and 1750 BC, which archaeologists concluded he was most likely living in the Kingdom of Karma, an early Nubian civilization that neighbored ancient Egypt.
The body was accompanied by two ceramic vessels and 82 blue-glazed ceramic disc beads around his neck.
Fossilized remains detail Sudan's ancient Kerma rituals
In a medium-sized ceramic jug, fossilized feces were found alongside charred plant, wood, animal, and insect remains, as well as two legumes among the plant remains. Another nearby vessel was found upside down and empty.
"Since the vessel does not show any signs of having been burned, these remains, along with the fragments of animal bones found, were probably simply inserted into it," the researchers explained in the study.
"The bones in question are likely evidence of consumption during a funeral feast, some of the remains from which were then thrown into the fire."
Plant-based remains indicated the area at the time was a more humid, savanna-type environment. This shows the profound change in the ecosystem thousands of years later, which is now entirely desert.
“Even a seemingly modest site can provide important clues for reconstructing past environments and climates," the researchers wrote.
The findings of this burial are the first from the Kingdom of Kerma to reveal any semblance of a funeral ritual. But the lack of similar known burials could point to the area's complex cultural exchange processes, study says, meaning more work is needed to understand the trade of goods and ideas in ancient Africa.
This discovery could awaken further attempts to understand this forgotten ancient African society.