Discovered 2,000-year-old ashes of warriors

Thanks to X-ray scanning technology, experts can see inside the jar containing warrior's ashes and some metal items.

Archaeologists at the Kostrzyn Fortress Museum uncovered many 2,000-year-old ashes and 12 burial pits dating from the 1st century BC in the old cemetery near Kostrzyn, eastern Poland, IB Times on December 2 reported believe. It is likely that the Germanic tribes once buried the warriors and women in this graveyard.

One of the urns is found at the old cemetery near Kostrzyn.(Photo: Express).

The new finding shows that ancient locals had a variety of rituals for the dead, according to Krzysztof Socha, the archaeologist leading the research team. Some are cremated, placed ashes in a ceramic vase or placed directly in a pit. Others are buried without cremation. The discovery of the burial pit with no bones through the cremation was the biggest surprise, Socha said.

The team invited a local doctor to help preserve the intact ash jars. He uses X-ray scanning technology to look inside without making them chipped or cracked. As a result, one of these jars contained the ashes of ancient warriors with a spear and some metal objects.

X-ray scanning technology helps the team to better prepare and remove the contents of the jar . "We know exactly the arrangement of the ashes and other things inside , " Socha said.

German warriors were often buried with metal pins or decorative spears. This year alone, experts discovered about 100 metal ornaments buried with the dead. In particular, many objects are not manufactured locally but imported from elsewhere.

1. Fear of customary 'burying' the ashes of the dead in the womb of the living