Iron Age skeletons dug up during work on a new water pipeline may have been the victims of ritual human sacrifice, archaeologists believe. Some 26 human skeletons were found in pits at Childrey Warren, near Wantage, Oxfordshire, alongside evidence of dwellings, animal carcasses and household items including pottery, knives and a decorative comb. The remains date from around 3,000 years ago, before the Romans had invaded Britain, and the people were probably linked to the well-known Uffington white horse, a prehistoric figure carved into a nearby hillside. Few graves survive from the period, because most communities engaged in ‘sky burials’ with bodies allowed to decompose naturally in the open or scavenged by animals. But the skeletons were found buried in small pits, suggesting they were part of a ritual or even human sacrifice.<doc-sep>One woman was buried with her feet removed and placed by her side, and her arms behind her head. Thames Water While laying down some water pipes, workers at the U.K. utility company Thames Water had a workday interrupted in a rather macabre fashion when they unearthed what turned out to be the remains of 26 people who had been ritualistically buried in pits in Oxfordshire. One set of remains belonged to a woman who was interred with her feet cut off and placed by her side, and her arms bound behind her head. The bones are believed to be nearly 3,000 years old. The utility company turned the work at Childrey Warren, as the site is known, over to Cotswold Archaeology, which carefully excavated the graves and associated areas. The archaeologists unearthed evidence of dwellings, a bone comb, pottery, an animal skull (possibly from a horse), deer antlers for digging, flint tools, and a Roman brooch. “The Iron Age site at Childrey Warren was particularly fascinating, as it provided a glimpse into the beliefs and superstitions of people living in Oxfordshire before the Roman conquest,” said Neil Holbrook, chief executive of Cotswold Archaeology, in a statement. He also added that previous research has uncovered similar pit burials that suggest that Britain’s ancient population may have practiced human sacrifice. A skeleton with its skull placed at its feet. Thames Water Ancient Britons had interesting relationships with their dead, and not just involving burials. In a 2016 study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, for example, researchers found that some Iron Age Britons were buried in large grain storage pits, only to be exhumed years later. The process was done to retrieve a body part, as a relic of the deceased. This most recent discovery in Oxfordshire also helps refute the idea that the Iron Age people there widely practiced sky burial, in which corpses were left out in the open to decompose or be scavenged. This has often been used as an explanation for why so few Iron Age burials have been found in Britain. (Not to mention that those that have been found are often buried in odd configurations or with body parts removed.) A thorough analysis of the bones, artifacts, and soil should provide more insights into the lives and burial practices of these Britons, spanning the Iron Age and Roman conquest.<doc-sep>One of 26 human skeletons recently revealed during digging for a water-pipeline project in Oxfordshire, England: Local archaeologists believe many of the skeletons date to the Iron Age and may have been buried in a ritualistic manner. Engineers were digging pits to lay a new water pipeline recently in the English countryside — but the pits were already occupied by the dead. According to a statement released yesterday (April 15) from the British utility company Thames Water, a pipe-laying project in Oxfordshire has led to the discovery of 26 human skeletons, some of which are believed to be nearly 3,000 years old. [In Photos: Boneyard of Iron Age Warriors] The oldest skeletons are thought to date to the Iron Age (which lasted from the eighth century B.C. to the second century A.D.), experts from the local Cotswold Archaeology heritage society said in the news release, providing fresh insights into how local communities lived before the Roman conquest of Britain began in the first century. Some of the skeletons were buried in what appeared to be a ritual manner, as they show similarities to nearby Iron Age pit burials that "might have involved human sacrifice," Cotswold Archaeology Chief Executive Neil Holbrook said in the statement. These pre-Roman communities are thought to be linked to the Uffington White Horse, a 360-foot-long (110 meters) prehistoric figure of a horse carved into a nearby hillside, Holbrook said. Among the skeletons in the new find, the diggers also uncovered a trove of artifacts, including fragments of dwellings, pottery, cutting tools, animal carcasses and a decorative comb. The skeletons and objects have been removed for forensic analysis so that the pipeline project may continue. Originally published on Live Science.<doc-sep>Historic finds are common on construction projects in older cities like London or Rome, and the same applies for their smaller neighbors. Oxfordshire is a county in southern England dating back to the 10th century, but a stunning discovery there of 26 human skeletons, some believed to have been part of "human sacrifice," offers a visceral reminder of how closely modern cities overlap on top of history. The project is meant to protect one of southern England's cherished natural ecosystems, a chalk stream. But digging crews didn't expect to find so many bodies, as well as evidence of dwellings, including animal carcasses, pottery, cutting implements, and a decorative comb. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. A multi-million pound project to protect the future of a rare #Oxfordshire chalk stream has revealed some fascinating and gruesome discoveries dating back almost 3,000 years...*warning if squeamish* - https://t.co/t4CdjegmU0 pic.twitter.com/dzUllzg5OB — Thames Water (@thameswater) April 15, 2019 “The new Thames Water pipeline provided us with an opportunity to examine a number of previously unknown archaeological sites" says Neil Holbrook, chief executive of Cotswold Archaeology, which consulted with Thames Water during the project, in a press statement. “The Iron Age site at Childrey Warren was particularly fascinating as it provided a glimpse into the beliefs and superstitions of people living in Oxfordshire before the Roman conquest. Evidence elsewhere suggests that burials in pits might have involved human sacrifice. The discovery challenges our perceptions about the past, and invites us to try to understand the beliefs of people who lived and died more than 2,000 years ago.” Little is known about these ancient Britons and the lives they lived. One thing that is known is that they appreciated the natural chalk of the region just as many do today, creating an artifact known as the Uffington White Horse, a giant pictograph close to the Thames Water pipeline site. An inspector examining the Uffington White Horse. It’s believed that the people found at the Thames Water shared some commonality with the Iron Age denizens who built the White Horse. Justin Tallis - PA Images Getty Images More remains. It’s believed that twenty-six individuals have been found. Thames Water But beyond magnificent creations like the White Horse, little is known of their daily lives. “The results from the analysis of the artifacts, animal bones, the human skeletons and the soil samples will help us add some important information to the history of the communities that occupied these lands so many years ago,” says Paolo Guarino, Cotswold Archaeology project officer. For Thames Water, the find elevates a standard environmental project into a sign of the region's deep history, allowing residents to enjoy the same environment that people have for thousands of years. “We’ve found significant historical items on many previous upgrade projects but this is one of our biggest and most exciting yet," says Chris Rochfort, Thames Water environmental manager. “This is a £14.5m ($18.99 million) project which is going to have real benefits for the environment by reducing the need to take water from the Letcombe Brook, a chalk stream which is a globally rare and highly important habitat for us to protect. As a result, future generations will be able to enjoy it for years to come—and now they can also learn about their village’s secret history.” Source: USA Today This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. 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A female skeleton buried with the feet cut off and placed by its side. (CNN) — Dozens of Neolithic skeletons, including those of people who may have been victims of human sacrifice, have been discovered in an almost 3,000-year-old settlement in Britain. The remains of 26 people from the Iron Age and Roman periods were found, including a woman with her feet cut off and her arms bound behind her head, and another person with their skull placed by their feet. A collection of tools from different time periods was also found in the settlement, which was discovered by engineers laying water pipes in Oxfordshire, England. Archaeologists inspecting the remains believe the people found were from the same community involved in creating the Uffington White Horse, a prehistoric chalk sculpture on a nearby hill. Thames Water A skeleton found with its skull placed at its feet. “These findings open a unique window into the lives and deaths of communities we often know only for their monumental buildings, such as hillforts or the Uffington White Horse,” Paolo Guarino, Cotswold Archaeology project officer, said in a statement. “The results from the analysis of the artefacts, animal bones, the human skeletons and the soil samples will help us add some important information to the history of the communities that occupied these lands so many years ago,” he added. Thames Water A collection of prehistoric flint tools. Thames Water An animal skull, probably from a horse, placed in one of the Iron Age pits. The group has removed the remains from the site for a forensic investigation. They were found during work on a Thames Water project aimed at protecting an Oxfordshire chalk stream. The findings “provided a glimpse into the beliefs and superstitions of people living in Oxfordshire before the Roman conquest,” said Neil Holbrook, chief executive of Cotswold Archaeology. “Evidence elsewhere suggests that burials in pits might have involved human sacrifice.” “The discovery challenges our perceptions about the past, and invites us to try to understand the beliefs of people who lived and died more than 2,000 years ago,” he added.