Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,800-year-old cremation in Spain that predates any other known cremation in Europe by 1,500 years, changing how experts understand prehistoric burial traditions. The site, located in Los Milanes in southeastern Iberia, reveals that cremation played a central role in funerary rituals much earlier than previously believed.
The study, led by Paula Becerra Fuello and published in PLOS One, describes Tomb 8 at Los Milanes as the first megalithic chamber in the region to contain only cremated human remains. Until now, most megalithic burials in the area were thought to rely almost exclusively on inhumation.
A groundbreaking find
Researchers excavated Tomb 8 in 2023 and found more than 28,000 bone fragments and 1,200 teeth. The remains belonged to at least 21 individuals, both adults and children. Analysis showed clear signs of exposure to high heat, including fractures, shrinkage, and warping.
The discovery marks a sharp break from earlier interpretations. Burned bones found in other Iberian tombs were often believed to result from later disturbances, chamber cleansing, or reuse of old monuments. At Los Milanes, however, cremation appears to have been the main funerary rite.
Grave goods, including arrowheads, pottery fragments, animal bones, and small stone beads, were also unearthed. Their presence suggests complex rituals and symbolic practices tied to the cremation process.
Evidence of ritual practices
Scientific tests strengthened the case for intentional cremation. Radiocarbon dating placed the use of the tomb between 2990 and 2460 B.C., with funerary activity likely spanning only a few generations.
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and isotope analysis showed that many bodies were burned as complete corpses, not dry skeletons. Variations in bone coloration and burn intensity suggest that pyres were built outside the chamber, and that the remains were carefully gathered and deposited afterward.
Researchers noted that the left side of many bodies was more heavily burned than the right. This pattern points to a deliberate placement of corpses on their sides, echoing burial customs observed in nearby sites.
Rethinking Iberian prehistory
Until this discovery, scholars believed that cremation in southeastern Iberia appeared much later, during the Late Bronze Age. The Los Milanes findings push the practice back to the early third millennium B.C., forcing a re-evaluation of how prehistoric societies in the region treated their dead.
The evidence shows cremation was not accidental or secondary. It was a deliberate and meaningful ritual, the authors explained. The study highlights how communities combined fire with architecture and symbolic items to honor the dead.
The research also suggests a diversity of mortuary practices. Inhumations and cremations coexisted within the same necropolises, showing that communities chose different methods of transforming the body. While inhumation preserved anatomical features, cremation reduced remains to fragments, altering their physical appearance.
Wider European connections
The findings at Los Milanes align with recent discoveries at Perdigões and Lácara in southwestern Iberia, where large deposits of cremated remains have also been found. Together, these sites suggest that cremation was a widespread practice in Iberian prehistory, not a rare exception.
Comparisons with other European sites reveal similar variability in burning techniques, fuel use, and ritual settings. Differences in isotope values suggest that those buried at Los Milanes originated from nearby areas but utilized resources from different zones, pointing to complex community networks.
A turning point in archaeology
For the first time, archaeologists in Iberia have a complete collection of cremated remains to study. By combining osteological analysis with radiocarbon dating and chemical tests, the research team has offered a detailed reconstruction of how early Iberian communities performed cremation.
The discovery at Los Milanes challenges long-held ideas and opens new questions. Why did some groups choose cremation over inhumation? What social or symbolic meanings were tied to fire? And how did these practices connect with broader prehistoric traditions across Europe?
While answers remain uncertain, the findings establish that cremation was a deliberate and significant ritual in southeastern Iberia as early as the third millennium B.C. The cremation ground in Spain is now recognized as a landmark in the study of European prehistory.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
