Detecting human brain preserved in mud layer for 2,600 years

Archaeologists discover that the brain may be the oldest ever discovered, preserved in mud in the UK for 2,600 years.

>> The brain is well preserved 4,000 years

The brain is found in Heslington, England.(Photo: BBC)

BBC on March 4 reported that the brain was discovered at the archaeological site in Heslington, near York, England in 2008.

Test results show that it dates back to about 6th century BC, now 2,600 years old. The skull may belong to a man of 26-45 years of age, who was heavily attacked in the neck before losing his head with a sharp knife.

"I looked through the small hole at the bottom of the skull to investigate, and I was surprised to see a kind of porous and bright yellow material. It's not like anything I've ever seen," Rachel Cubitt, a member of the project, said.

The archaeological team of the City Archaeological Group believes that the skull is buried in moist, clay-rich soil. The burial position may be an important factor that helps the brain to be well preserved over time, although the exact reason is unclear. Over time, the hair and flesh of human skulls are decomposed, but the environment lacks oxygen, many clay protect and store organs of this nervous system.