New Forensic Evidence Suggests Retainer Sacrifice in Ancient Egypt

A recent study published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology re-examines skulls excavated from ancient Egyptian tombs in the 1920s. The analysis found that over one-third of the skulls show signs of blunt force trauma, potentially indicating retainer sacrifice. Bioarchaeologist Roselyn Campbell notes that the debate surrounding this practice has been polarized, with some dismissing it as a myth and others accepting it as fact without evidence. The study's findings suggest that a re-evaluation of the available data is necessary to better understand this aspect of ancient Egyptian culture.