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Ancient Cypriots May Have Burned Funeral Bouquets
Archaeology Magazine ^ | October 12, 2026 | editors / unattributed

Posted on 10/15/2026 8:12:13 AM PDT by SunkenCiv

Mourners living in Cyprus some 3,400 years ago may have burned bouquets of whole plants during burial ceremonies, according to the Greek Reporter. Charred plant remains were found in four tombs at Hala Sultan Tekke, the site of an ancient harbor city on the island's southeastern coast. Teresa Bürge of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and her colleagues detected burnt plant remains in two ceramic jugs recovered from one of the tombs. Analysis of the residues determined that one of the vessels held barley, several varieties of wheat, figs, lentils, marigold, chrysanthemum, mallow, and viola. A Mycenaean-style jar in another tomb contained evidence of cereals, wild grasses, and flowering plants such as poppy and centaury. Traces of edible plants, including barley, olives, and grapes, were found in the other two tombs. Cedar and cypress wood found in one of the graves may have been burned for smoke and scent during the funeral. For more on excavations at Hala Sultan Tekke, go to "In the Time of the Copper Kings."

(Excerpt) Read more at archaeology.org ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: bronzeage; cyprus; godsgravesglyphs; incense
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Fragments of a clay container discovered in Tomb UU at Hala Sultan Tekke, Cyprus.
Credit: Teresa Bürge et al. / CC BY 4.0
Credit: Teresa Bürge et al. / CC BY 4.0

[GreekReporter, "Burned Flowers in Ancient Cyprus Tombs Reveal 3,400-Year-Old Rituals"]

1 posted on 10/15/2026 8:12:14 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

2 posted on 10/15/2026 8:13:03 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (TDS -- it's not just for DNC shills and jihadists anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Native Americans burn tobacco.

Boomers burn marijuana.........


3 posted on 10/15/2026 8:17:25 AM PDT by Red Badger (Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine – August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
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To: SunkenCiv
Dead bodies stink. In the past humans may have tried to cover up the odor by burning stuff.

Film at 11.

(it is also possible that these things were offerings. Since smoke rises it was a common human belief that the essence of those offering would rise to the heavens. Either as bribes for the deities to keep them or as bribes to the dead so they don't come back.)

4 posted on 10/15/2026 8:33:24 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (I just want FReepers to READ THE ARTICLE. And then think 30 secs before pounding keyboard.)
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To: SunkenCiv

An ancient Cypriot grave from 9500 years ago had a cat buried alongside the person—the earliest known example of that.


5 posted on 10/15/2026 8:42:13 AM PDT by Verginius Rufus
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

And who doesn’t love the smell of bacon? Even if the pork is long. As for cats, they are awesome, as are dogs. But cats are slightly above. Just ask them.


6 posted on 10/15/2026 8:52:05 AM PDT by Sirius Lee ("Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.)
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To: Sirius Lee

Once There Was A Humble Cat and Other Fairy Tales...


7 posted on 10/15/2026 9:22:16 AM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (I just want FReepers to READ THE ARTICLE. And then think 30 secs before pounding keyboard.)
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To: Sirius Lee

As for cats, they are awesome, as are dogs. But cats are slightly above.

I don’t know if that’s true or not but I did know a Vietnamese dude in college that said he had eaten both, and would agree that cats taste better. YMMV.


8 posted on 10/15/2026 9:35:31 AM PDT by centermass_socrates (Keep it clean, keep it loaded, and keep it handy.)
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To: centermass_socrates
a Vietnamese dude in college that said he had eaten both, and would agree that cats taste better. YMMV.

There was no good reason to refrain from using nukes in Vietnam. None.

9 posted on 10/15/2026 9:43:18 AM PDT by Sirius Lee ("Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.)
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To: Red Badger

Show us on the doll where the Boomers hurt you sweetie.


10 posted on 10/15/2026 11:25:31 AM PDT by dljordan (Where's th"e rest of the Epstein files hmmmm?)
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