AI Summary

New forensic analysis of skulls recovered near First Dynasty royal tombs at Abydos shows that some members of ancient Egypt’s early royal households were killed at the time of a king’s death, likely to continue serving the ruler in the afterlife. The skulls, dating to roughly 5,000 years ago, provide physical proof of fatal injuries that earlier archaeologists could not identify. In the 1920s, Flinders Petrie had noted unusually large numbers of burials surrounding the kings and suspected ritual sacrifice, but lacked concrete evidence. The recent findings confirm that practice.

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