We finally know why so many ancient human bones are pulled from the River Thames

Scientists and historians yet cognize wherefore hundreds of quality bones are inactive being pulled from the bottommost of the River Thames successful a 300-year-old mystery.

Researchers examined 30 skeletons recovered successful London’s famous river to find retired wherefore an unusually ample proportionality support being recovered there.

Nicola Arthur, curator astatine the Natural History Museum, said: ‘Most radical – including Londoners! – are rather taken aback to perceive that hundreds of quality bones person travel from the River Thames.

‘They person been encountered reasonably regularly successful the h2o places of northwest Europe, but the Thames’ quality bones correspond a uniquely ample assemblage.

‘The large question for these quality bones is however they came to beryllium successful the river.’

Early theories from the 19th period included the corpses coming from a conflict betwixt Celts and Romans.

Others successful the 20th period enactment guardant that the bodies person reappeared arsenic the riverbank has eroded and revealed wide burials and drowning victims.

But modern exertion has been capable to uncover the bodies person travel each the mode backmost from the Bronze and Iron ages – from 4,000 BC to 1,800 AD.

Ms Arthur told Live Science: ‘We tin present accidental with assurance that these don’t look to conscionable beryllium bones that person steadily accumulated successful the stream done time.

‘There truly was thing important going connected successful the Bronze and Iron Ages.’

Closer introspection of the bones revealed grounds of trauma, suggesting the origin of decease were injuries sustained successful acts of violence.

‘Violence is simply a peculiarly communal taxable for aboriginal prehistoric quality remains from watery places.

‘We person recovered patterns of skeletal trauma connected the bones of the Thames quality remains.’

In 2022, a rower came crossed a 5,000 twelvemonth aged quality bony dating bac to the Stone Age on the banks of the Thames.

Graphic decorator Simon Hunt was rowing on the stream erstwhile helium noticed the ‘very old’ quality femur lying connected the riverbank.

Mr. Hunt said helium collected the bony up successful a integrative container and took it location to amusement his wife. He soon passed it implicit to the constabulary who sent the bony to a laboratory to beryllium tested.

Expert investigation revealed it is astir 5,000 years aged – belonging to a idiosyncratic surviving successful Neolithic Britain betwixt 3516 and 3365BC.

‘It looked precise old, but portion of maine was reasoning what if it isn’t?’ Mr. Hunt told the BBC.

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