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The man, the woman and the hyoid bone: from archaeology to the burial practices of the Xiongnu people (Egyin Gol valley, Mongolia)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

P. Murail ,
E. Crubézy ,
H. Martin ,
L. Haye ,
J. Bruzek ,
P.H. Giscard ,
T. Turbat  and
D. Erdenebaatar
P. Murail
Affiliation:
UMR 5809, Laboratoire d'Anthropologie, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France. p.murail@anthropologie.u-bordeaux.fr
E. Crubézy
Affiliation:
Fédération d'Anthropologie, Université Paul Sabatier, allées Jules Guesde, 31000 Toulouse, France
H. Martin
Affiliation:
Groupe de Recherche en Préhistoire, Université Toulouse–Le Mirail, 31000 Toulouse, France
L. Haye
Affiliation:
UMR 5809, Laboratoire d'Anthropologie, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France. p.murail@anthropologie.u-bordeaux.fr
J. Bruzek
Affiliation:
UMR 5809, Laboratoire d'Anthropologie, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France. p.murail@anthropologie.u-bordeaux.fr
P.H. Giscard
Affiliation:
Mission Archéologique Française en Mongolie, 76 rue d'Assas, 75006 Paris, France
T. Turbat
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology of the Institute of History, Academy of Sciences of Mongolia, Zhulkov Street, Ulan Bator 54, Mongolia
D. Erdenebaatar
Affiliation:
Department of Archaeology of the Institute of History, Academy of Sciences of Mongolia, Zhulkov Street, Ulan Bator 54, Mongolia
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Extract

A man and a woman were found in a double burial dating from the 1st century BC and located in a Xiongnu burial site in northern Mongolia. An offering box at the head of the man's coffin contained both remains of domestic animals and a human hyoid bone. The skeleton of the man was complete whereas the woman's hyoid bone was missing. The isolated hyoid bone could belong to the buried woman, which suggests the removal of her tongue and probably her sacrifice.

Keywords

burial practicesXiongnuosteoarchaeologysacrificeMongolia
Type
News & notes
Information
Antiquity , Volume 74 , Issue 285 , September 2000 , pp. 531 - 536
Copyright
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd. 2000

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