Archaeologists uncovered unusual skeletons at the Tombos archaeological site in modern-day Sudan near the Nile River, adjacent to Egypt. The skeletons resting within one of the pyramids suggest that commoners were buried alongside pharaohs and noble individuals, challenging long-held beliefs about ancient Egyptian burial practices, according to Marca.
The remains, dating back 3,500 years, could change the history of the Egyptian pyramids. Scientists previously believed that pyramids were exclusive tombs for pharaohs or nobles, but the discovery of these skeletons suggests they may have also served as burial sites for lower-status but highly qualified workers.
Some of the skeletons showed signs of heavy physical labor, indicating that the individuals were not among the privileged class. Others belonged to people who were not physically active during their lives, suggesting individuals from different social strata.
"In the past, we've just assumed that the people who were buried in there were the elite, because we know that the pyramids were designed for elite people. That still holds true, but maybe there were others being buried in the pyramids as well," said Dr. Sarah Schrader, lead author and associate professor of archaeology at Leiden University, as told to BBC Science Focus.
Researchers analyzed skeletons from several different burial sites at Tombos, examining subtle marks where muscles and ligaments had attached to the bones. According to Science Focus, these traces, called entheseal changes, can give archaeologists clues about how a person's life physically altered their bones. Some skeletons exhibited very few marks, indicating that they lived more sedentary lives and likely belonged to wealthy nobility. Others showed more markings, suggesting they were physically active.
"The more physically active individuals could be 'labourers, or servants, or people who were associated with the high-status individual,'" said Schrader, according to Science Focus. She added that this re-analysis revealed a more complex picture of Tombos, showing a broader social landscape than previously understood.
The finding suggests that pharaohs or noble people were buried with their subjects to ensure continued service in the afterlife, as noted by Marca.
"For centuries, scientists believed that only the elite were buried in pyramids, but a surprising recent discovery of ancient skeletons has thrown that idea into question," wrote Science Focus. The researchers noted that the research challenges "the long-held assumption in the field of Egyptology."
"This could potentially shake up what we know about the pyramids," stated Schrader, as reported by Science Focus. She hoped the discovery would prompt a re-examination of other skeletal remains found in pyramids. "It may very well be that the same pattern is happening elsewhere. We can't just assume that things that we've done in the past still hold true," she said.
Tombos became an important center after the Egyptian conquest of Nubia around 1500 BCE, during the reign of Thutmose I, who ruled about 170 years before Tutankhamun. Ruins of at least five clay pyramids have been discovered in Tombos, some containing human remains and pottery, including large vases and jars, according to Newsam.
"We can no longer assume that the individuals buried in grandiose pyramid tombs belong to the elite. In fact, the more working members of the communities are associated with the most visible monuments. Colonial administrators may have encouraged this practice to inscribe a hierarchical social order in the sacred landscape of the cemetery," concludes the study.
Schrader added there was no evidence that the individuals buried with their masters were killed for this purpose; they were likely buried later after dying naturally, according to Science Focus. Some researchers have suggested that high-activity individuals buried in the pyramids could have been nobles who maintained physical fitness to reinforce their status.
"There were hard labourers living, working and dying there," commented Schrader.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.