Skeleton remains discovered in 5,000 year-old tomb in Scotland

Skeletons found in 5,000 year old Tomb

Archaeologists discovered the ruins of a 5,000 year-old tomb in Scotland, National Museums Scotland said in a brief statement Tuesday.

The "incredibly rare" tomb, was largely destroyed without record in the 19th century, according to the national museum. Only 12 of those tombs have been found in Orkney. They are also considered "the pinnacle of Neolithic engineering in northern Britain".

The tomb, unearthed after a three-week excavation, has a large stone chamber at the center of a cairn, which is a human-made pile of stones usually raised as a marker for a burial mound.

Archaeologists stated they found 14 skeletons of men, women and children in one of the smaller side rooms, according to the national museum. Other human remains and artifacts, including pottery, stone tools and a bone pin, were also discovered in the remains.

"The preservation of so many human remains in one part of the monument is amazing, especially since the stone has been mostly robbed for building material," said Vicki Cummings, head of Cardiff University's School of History, Archaeology and Religion.

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