Archaeology: Neolithic Romeo and Juliet Locked in Eternal Embrace

Society | February 9, 2007, Friday // 00:00

Just in time for Valentine's Day, which is a week away, is news of a rather romantic archaeological find, two skeletons from the Neolithic period embracing one another.

They were found by archaeologists digging out around Mantua, Italy. That's about 25 miles south of Verona, where Shakespeare set the star-crossed tale of "Romeo and Juliet."

Archaeologists in Italy have discovered a couple buried 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, hugging each other.

"It's an extraordinary case," said Elena Menotti, who led the team on their dig near the northern city of Mantova.

"There has not been a double burial found in the Neolithic period, much less two people hugging -- and they really are hugging."

Menotti said she believed the two, almost certainly a man and a woman although that needs to be confirmed, died young because their teeth were mostly intact and not worn down.

"I must say that when we discovered it, we all became very excited. I've been doing this job for 25 years. I've done digs at Pompeii, all the famous sites," she told Reuters.
"But I've never been so moved because this is the discovery of something special."
A laboratory will now try to determine the couple's age at the time of death and how long they had been buried."

Alongside the couple, archaeologists found flint tools, including arrowheads and a knife. I am surprised given this context, if these people were buried this way. I highly doubt they died in this manner, although it is a possibility. It would be very informative if someone did some forensic archaeology to decipher whether they were buried that way or died that way.

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