Very little is known about funerary practices in Iron Age Britain, but a new paper published in the journal Antiquity has shed some light on an unusual practice. The remains of two individuals from northwest Scotland, found in a burial cairn near Loch Borralie, have provided evidence of postmortem brain removal and sharpened limb bones, possibly used as tools.

The cranium of one individual, believed to be that of a juvenile, showed an unusual break at the base. The authors concluded it likely resulted from a targeted impact rather than common accidents. What’s more intriguing is several straight, parallel striations inside the skull, suggesting the brain had been scraped out shortly after death – a practice previously unseen in the region.

In contrast, remains of an adult female showed perimortem fractures on both scapulae but no signs of targeted trauma or scraping. The archaeological evidence points to deliberate manipulation beyond just burying the dead, hinting at complex posthumous rituals that are still very much a mystery.

This study not only adds a new dimension to our understanding of Iron Age Britain's funerary practices but also raises questions about the tools and technologies used in these processes. It’s another reminder that our ancestors weren’t as straightforward or less inventive than we might imagine.