A team of researchers has discovered dozens of human bones along the Thames River, dating them to thousands of years ago. The findings were published in the journal Antiquity and have shed new light on why the river became a final resting place for many people.
The river’s muddy bottom preserves remains due to its low oxygen levels, making it an ideal location for archaeological discoveries. A team dated 61 bones using radiocarbon dating, a method that measures carbon isotopes in each sample. This is the largest assemblage of dated human remains found in Britain.
The bones revealed that humans lived along the Thames River over 4,000 years ago, with some dating back to the Bronze and Iron Age. Contrary to previous theories, researchers now believe that these bodies were intentionally placed in the river, not moved by powerful tides.
The study also highlights a long-standing mystery in archaeology: the “missing dead.” The discovery of human remains in rivers suggests that many ancient societies practiced water burials, which could provide new insights into prehistoric funerary practices.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/science/thames-river-boneyard.html