In Ancient Egypt, servants could be killed after the death of their rulers

Scientists have discovered signs of potentially fatal injuries on the skulls of people buried approximately 5,000 years ago near the tombs of ancient Egyptian rulers. This may indicate ritual killings of servants following the deaths of their rulers.

The remains were discovered as early as the 1920s in the burial complexes of Abydos in Egypt. At the time, archaeologists speculated that the people might have been sacrificed, but they were unable to confirm this theory.

A modern forensic medical examination has revealed signs of trauma on the preserved skulls. Of the 46 specimens examined, 18 showed potentially fatal injuries. These were predominantly linear fractures that could have resulted from severe blows with a broad, flat object.

Researcher Rosalyn Campbell of Purdue University noted that such injuries could have caused loss of consciousness, internal bleeding, and death. At the same time, the researchers do not claim that all the people buried near the tombs were victims of ritual killings: some may have died of natural causes or as a result of methods of killing that leave no traces on the bones.

According to one theory, servants may have been killed so that they could continue to serve their rulers in the afterlife. Such sacrifices may also have been intended to demonstrate the monarch’s absolute power. Some people may have consented to their deaths voluntarily, while others may have been coerced.

Katherine Slinger, a professor of Egyptian archaeology who did not participate in the study, emphasized that the new forensic evidence helps explain exactly how the servants might have been killed. The study’s findings were published in the scientific journal *Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology*.

Source: CNN

Previously, archaeologists discovered that the kings of Urartu used bronze bowls for propaganda purposes.

As a reminder, gold jewelry dating back to before the Bronze Age Catastrophe was discovered in Cyprus.