Use and transformation of human bones during the Capsian and Neolithic periods in the Maghreb

Abstract

In prehistoric times, human bones were exploited as a raw material by transforming them into functional tools, ornaments and sometimes into items of symbolic and ritual significance particularly skull bones. This practice was common among many primitive human groups, where skull bones are used more than other skeletal elements.

The goal of this paper is to study the phenomenon of using human bone remains by transforming them into tools for practical and symbolic-ritual usage. This relates to humans from prehistoric times in general, with a focus on the Capsian civilization and humans from the Neolithic. We aim to understand the cultural, symbolic, and functional aspects in these societies by analyzing remains from several locations in the Maghreb with a focus on the types of bones, modification techniques and their archaeological and funerary contexts.

The Maghreb is a region rich in cultural and anthropological diversity in prehistoric times. Indeed, there have been several excavations that showed complex practices in dealing with human remains. These include transforming bones into tools or modifying them for ritualistic or symbolic use. These practices raise important questions about the belief systems of prehistoric humans as well as their relationship to the human skeleton, death, and the sacred.

The challenges we tackle in this paper relate to the interpretation of the practice of using and transforming human bones in the Capsian and Neolithic sites and the determination of whether these practices were symbolic and ritual in nature or simply served utilitarian and social functions. The Capsian sites, especially those in Eastern Maghreb, revealed unusual tools made from modified human bones, used either in daily life or ritual contexts, practices not found among previous remains. This cultural pattern continued into the Neolithic period, where humans produced bone tools with unprecedented shapes and functions, indicating a clear shift in the symbolic structure of funerary and spiritual practices.

This study adopts a descriptive and analytical methodology by analyzing several bone remains and tools in various archaeological sites, along with an inventory of Eastern Capsian and Neolithic sites where such items were found. In addition, the types of bones, the techniques to shape them, and their archaeological contexts, particularly ritual and funerary, were analyzed, based on the existing literature.

Our findings show that the use of bones, especially skull bones, was neither random nor a response to utilitarian needs but was deliberate carrying out deep symbolic, magical, and spiritual meanings. The study showed the differences and diversity in the practices of transforming bones between the Capsian and Neolithic periods. In addition, the used techniques reflect an advanced level of skills in processing human bones. Finally, it indicates the need for specialized tools in the daily life and ritual practices of those communities, highlighting the importance of human bones as raw materials in shaping the identity and ritual practices of human societies in the Maghreb.

Keywords : Human bones transformation; Capsien ; Neolithic ; Maghreb.