In this paper, the secondary burials from the late Neolithic in northern Mesopotamia and from Tell Sabi Abyad in Syria are investigated. Secondary burials were found at Bouqras, Tell el-Kerkh,...Show moreIn this paper, the secondary burials from the late Neolithic in northern Mesopotamia and from Tell Sabi Abyad in Syria are investigated. Secondary burials were found at Bouqras, Tell el-Kerkh, Hakemi Use, Yarim Tepe I and II, Tell Hassuna, Halula, Tell es-Sawwan and Arpachiyah. At Tell Sabi Abyad three secondary deposits and nine potential secondary deposits were found. The secondary burials represent only a small portion of the total number of burials that are found. Secondary burials are an exception. Different types of secondary burials from the late Neolithic are found in northern Mesopotamia and at Tell Sabi Abyad. Skulls seem to play an important role. The skulls were removed from graves and reburied. There are also primary and secondary deposits found on floors in buildings. At Tell Sabi Abyad bones of humans and animals are found together in a tholos. At different sites deposits of human and animal bones are found, sometimes together with fragments. These are possibly waste deposits. The secondary burials found at Tell el-Kerkh and Tell es-Sawwan do not seem to correspond with the secondary burials at the other sites. At Tell el-Kerkh pits with many disarticulated human bones are found, these were not found on other sites that were examined. At Tell es-Sawwan red ochre and grave goods were found in secondary burials. At the other sites, no red ochre was found in the secondary burials. Grave goods are rare in the secondary burials found at other sites, and usually only found as fragments in waste deposits.Show less
