Archaeologists have uncovered something so bizarre and unexpected that it’s shaking up everything we thought we knew about early civilizations in East Asia. In the ancient Chinese city of Liangzhu, researchers discovered that people were turning human bones into objects—including bowls, masks, tools, and more—around 5,000 years ago.
This strange practice offers a chilling new perspective on how ancient people viewed death, identity, and the human body. Let’s break down what this discovery means and why it’s left experts completely baffled.
Table of Contents
Discovery
The findings come from a study published in Scientific Reports, led by Junmer Sawada and a global team of researchers. While turning human bones into tools or ritual objects has been seen in other parts of the world, this is the first time it’s been confirmed in ancient China.
The remains were uncovered in Liangzhu, one of the first urban civilizations in East Asia, located in the Yangtze River Delta. Known for its temples, jade artifacts, and advanced water systems, Liangzhu was always seen as a refined, organized society. But these bone artifacts reveal a much darker and more complex side.
Bones
Researchers discovered the modified human bones in channels and pits, not in graves. These pits also had broken pottery and animal remains, suggesting these bones were discarded rather than honored.
Of the 183 bones examined:
- 52 showed clear signs of human modification.
- Some skulls were turned into bowls or plates.
- Mandibles (jawbones) were flattened.
- Long bones had their ends shaped, possibly for use as tools.
Surprisingly, 80% were incomplete or left unfinished, hinting they might’ve been experimental, practical, or even discarded halfway through. This is very different from other ancient cultures, where human bones were respectfully crafted and used in religious or ceremonial ways.
Burial
Before Liangzhu, Neolithic cultures in the same region, like Hemudu or Majiabang, treated the dead with care—placing bodies in organized graves. Liangzhu broke with that tradition.
With the rise of urban living, many people in the city likely died as strangers to those around them. This may have led to a loss of individual identity after death. Instead of sacred ancestors, bodies were treated more like materials to be used.
Researchers believe these bones were collected after natural decomposition, not from violent sacrifice or execution. They weren’t cut apart immediately after death. There was no sign of ritual violence, only quiet, deliberate repurposing.
Objects
Let’s look at what these bone objects might have been:
| Object Type | Possible Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skull Bowls | Ritual or Ceremonial | Found in elite tombs |
| Bone Masks | Unknown | No known parallels in China |
| Flattened Jawbones | Tools or Ornaments | No symbolic evidence |
| Shaped Long Bones | Tools or Scrapers | Likely functional |
While the skull bowls may have had some ritual use, other items like masks or tools were likely practical—or perhaps attempts to experiment with a new resource.
Duration
This strange and disturbing practice only lasted around 200 years, between 4,800 and 4,600 years ago, right at the height of Liangzhu’s development.
Researchers think it might have been a response to urban life—a shift in how societies viewed identity and death. With class divisions and growing populations, some individuals—perhaps outsiders or lower-status citizens—were not treated as ancestors but as raw materials.
Then, as mysteriously as it began, the practice vanished. Future generations returned to more traditional burial methods, suggesting this was a unique cultural experiment.
Liangzhu
What does this say about Liangzhu and its view of death?
This society clearly prioritized utility over memory. Dead bodies, instead of being honored or remembered, were sometimes used, shaped, and discarded.
It’s a hard concept for us to imagine today. A human skull used as a bowl? That seems horrifying now—but in Liangzhu, it might have been normal.
Reflection
This discovery raises fascinating and uncomfortable questions:
- When do we stop seeing a body as part of our community?
- Does city life change how we respect the dead?
- Can progress and urbanization erase ancient beliefs about life and memory?
Liangzhu offers a rare, eerie glimpse into a society that once treated human remains like wood or stone—something to shape and use, not honor or fear.
FAQs
Where were the bones found?
In Liangzhu, an ancient city in China’s Yangtze Delta.
What were the bones used for?
They were made into bowls, masks, and tools.
Was this a burial ritual?
No, bones were found in pits, not traditional graves.
Did they sacrifice people?
No signs of violence or immediate dismemberment found.
How long did this practice last?
Around 200 years during Liangzhu’s peak.
