The ancient site of Göbekli Tepe in Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey, is known for its impressive stone structures and carvings. However, the remains of the people who lived there have also been discovered, revealing unique characteristics of a long-forgotten culture. Dozens of fragments of human skulls have been recovered, with intentional deep incisions along their sagittal axes, indicating that the people of Göbekli Tepe modified the skulls after a person's death. The modifications were done shortly after the people died, and the sharp edges of the cuts show that they were done when the bone was still elastic, meaning it was a very early stage of decay.
The modifications were done with lithic tools and the depth of carvings and multiple cutting actions differentiate the markings from those associated with defleshing and cleaning. The drill hole is funnel-shaped, showing it was done from the outside in, and it is thought the work was done shortly after the people died. The findings provide evidence of the practices, customs, and belief systems of the pre-pottery Neolithic people of Göbekli Tepe.
