Iron Age Woman's Brain Removed, Bones Sharpened in Scotland

In 1998, a human skull was discovered by rabbits in northern Scotland. Archaeologists subsequently uncovered the remains of a teenage boy and an adult woman, dating back approximately 2,000 years to the Iron Age, in 2000. The investigation revealed that the woman's brain had been extracted, and several of her bones were fractured and sharpened after death, possibly indicating an unknown funerary practice. These remains, found near Loch Borralie, are estimated to be from between 50 B.C.E. and 70 C.E. The woman, aged over 30, exhibited signs of intentional brain removal and bone alterations, implying she held a certain status despite potential mistreatment. The 15-year-old boy, presumed to be her maternal second cousin, had unaltered bones, linking both to Iron Age populations from Orkney and Applecross, highlighting cultural movement.