This Week In History News, Mar. 12 – 18

Published March 17, 2023

Iron Age remains found under cottage floor in Scotland, ancient comb made from human skull uncovered in England, disemboweled mummy discovered in Yemen.

Iron Age Burial Ground Uncovered Right Beneath The Kitchen Of A Cottage In The Scottish Highlands

Iron Age Burial Ground In Scotland

Cathy DaggThis shocking find sparked “huge excitement in the archaeological world,” as the Scottish Highlands’ largely wet soil has prevented ancient remains from surviving, making this the first Iron Age discovery of its kind in the region.

The western coast of the Scottish Highlands is known for its wet soil, meaning that any historical relics buried underground are unlikely to survive. But certain stretches, like the Applecross Peninsula, feature drier earth containing large amounts of sand and stone. It’s here that experts have uncovered some of the oldest and best-preserved human remains ever found in the entire region.

While remodeling a cottage in the town of Applecross, workers dug below the kitchen floor and stumbled upon human remains from the Iron Age. Without the right soil conditions, these six incomplete skeletons never would have survived 2,000 years.

Learn the full story behind this shocking discovery here.

Archaeologists Identify An Iron Age Comb Made From A Human Skull In England

Bar Hill Comb

MOLAMOLA Finds specialist Michael Marshall examines the Bar Hill comb.

Archaeologists at the Museum of London Archaeology have identified a rare and unique artifact found at an Iron Age site at Bar Hill near Cambridgeshire, England: a 2,000-year-old comb made from a portion of a human skull.

Dubbing the object the “Bar Hill comb,” archaeologists believe the discovery could illuminate the local customs of Iron Age humans.

Dig deeper in this report.

A 2,000-Year-Old Mummy Was Just Found In The Trash In Yemen — And Its Insides Are Missing

Yemeni Mummy Found In Trash

Yemen General Organization of Antiquities and MuseumsThe 2,000-year-old mummy was discovered in the trash in Sanaa, Yemen.

Locals in Sanaa, Yemen just found a 2,000-year-old disemboweled mummy among piles of garbage. It was discovered curled up in a fetal position and wrapped in an animal hide in accordance with standard embalming practices from the time.

However, the mummy’s missing insides were not in accordance with the funerary practices of the region. The disembowelment was likely the work of grave robbers.

Read on here.

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All That's Interesting
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Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.
editor
John Kuroski
editor
John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.