The Paleolithic Burial in Sunghir

This skeleton is a photo montage of a very decorated burial. The man was between 35-45 years old when he died, but his remains date back to about 34,000 years ago — one of the earliest human interments in the historical record. This man’s grave, found in the region of Sunghir, Russia, reflects a vastly different world view about who mattered and why among the Upper Paleolithic peoples in days of yore and our own civilizations.

As authors David Graeber and David Wengrow point out in their new groundbreaking book, _The Dawn of Everything_, there seems to be a distinct observation of “exceptional people” in many human cultures of the Upper Paleolithic (aka “late stone age” 50,000-12,000 years ago). While most people weren’t buried completely intact — let alone dressed or with grave goods — those who were are often physically different, to the extent that they were likely selected for such fancy interment because of their exceptionalities.

In Sunghir, we can see this with two adolescent males who were buried around the same time, who each had congenital abnormalities — a forward-thrusting jaw for one, and bow-legs for another. Perhaps the adult male had differences that weren’t skeletal, like albinism. Or maybe he had mental differences, like epilepsy, or schizotypical tendencies. Graeber and Wengrow argue that such patterns are widespread across these centuries.

The special treatment of these corpses shows that they were considered different enough to be paid special attention to in death, but we don’t of course know why — were they considered outcasts in life? Or brought into their communities in special ways because of their differences? When great amounts of resources were invested in their burials, what did their communities gain in return? Special protection from the deceased’s spirits? Or the blessings of the special dead upon their community?