2,000-Year-Old Celtic Cemetery Reveals Humans and Cherished Animals Laid to Rest Together

The connection between humans and pets might have been enduring over centuries, as evidenced by ancient humans buried with their animal companions 2,000 years ago.

In Verona, Italy, a Celtic cemetery revealed human remains alongside important Iron Age animals like dogs, horses, and pigs, emphasizing the close bond before Roman occupation.

Until Death Do Us Part: Human-Animal Co-Burials in Verona's Late Iron Age Necropolis

The archaeological examination of 161 individuals from Italy, dating between the third and first century B.C.E., revealed that 16 of them were interred with animal remains. At the Seminario Vescovile archaeological site in Verona, researchers found a diverse range of animals, including pigs, chickens, and cows, which were likely included as food offerings.

Additionally, dog and horse remains were discovered alongside humans, indicating a unique burial practice not primarily driven by dietary considerations. This discovery challenges the conventional understanding of animals solely as a source of sustenance during that era.

The recent paper published in the journal PLOS ONE emphasized the importance of these discoveries, noting that dogs and horses were not commonly used as food in the area at that particular historical period.

This suggests that these animals may have held special roles in people's lives, potentially serving as pets or possessing cultural importance. The authors of the paper, attributing this cultural context to the Cenomane culture, identified 16 burials featuring animal remains, with particular emphasis on four that included horses or dogs, animals not commonly associated with dietary purposes.

Among these notable pairings, one burial featured the remains of a baby interred with a complete dog skeleton. Other instances included a young man buried with parts of a horse, a middle-aged man with a small dog, and a middle-aged woman buried alongside a complete horse, a dog skull, and parts from other horses.

These unique combinations suggest complex relationships between humans and animals, extending beyond utilitarian roles, and shed light on the cultural practices of the Cenomane people in ancient Italy.

Why Were Ancient Humans Buried With Animals?

Researchers explored the genetics, diets, and burial conditions of both humans and animals discovered in the graves. Surprisingly, no significant correlation was found among those buried with animals, indicating unrelated individuals and challenging the notion of familial connections.

The absence of a consistent pattern leaves room for various interpretations of why people were interred with animals, ranging from religious symbolism to the possibility of animal companionship. Horses and dogs have historically been found in human burials across cultures, with unique cultural contexts shaping the significance of such funerary practices.

Dogs discovered in the Verona graves might have been sacrificially buried, symbolizing a transition into the afterlife. The association of dogs with the underworld is a recurring motif in diverse cultures, from ancient Egypt to Scandinavia.

Cultural variables, such as societal status and specific funeral rites, may influence the reasons for these animals being interred with humans over 2,000 years ago. The study acknowledges the limitations in interpreting burial rituals, emphasizing the communal nature of funerary practices and the challenge of fully understanding the symbolic codes embedded in ancient traditions.

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