Angola’s oldest burial sites were excavated a few months before the flooding
Archaeologists managed to investigate the ancient necropolis in Angola just a few months before it was to be submerged forever. At the site of the future reservoir, the scientists discovered the country’s oldest dated burials, 15th-century stone structures and the only known ancient cremation.
The research has shown that a well-developed settlement existed here long before the arrival of the Portuguese. The study has been published in the *Journal of Field Archaeology*.
The excavations had to be carried out very quickly
In 2023, builders working on a hydroelectric power station discovered unknown stone structures. Archaeologists immediately realised that they were looking at a unique site, which would soon be submerged once the reservoir was filled.
However, it was not possible to begin excavations straight away. First, the site was surveyed by bomb disposal experts – there might still be mines here left over from the civil war. Then, local elders performed a traditional ceremony to seek permission from their ancestors to carry out the work.
After that, the archaeologists began their excavations.
Angola’s oldest burial sites discovered
Researchers discovered 117 groups of stone structures and excavated 65 of them.
The stone mounds covering the graves proved to be particularly significant. Radiocarbon dating revealed that people were already being buried here as early as the beginning of the 15th century — several decades before the Portuguese arrived in the region.
These are the oldest dated burials known today in Angola.
Human remains were found in six of the graves.
Some people were buried lying on their side, whilst others were buried sitting up, with their knees drawn up to their chests.
It was previously thought that only chiefs or members of the nobility could have been buried in this manner. However, alongside the remains, archaeologists found not jewellery but everyday objects: pottery, millstones for grinding grain, and the remains of iron production.
The millstones were of particular interest to the researchers. In the traditional cultures of many peoples, they are associated with women’s labour. It is possible that some of the buried women held important positions in society or took part in religious rituals.
The most unusual find was a cremation
The rarest discovery was a clay vessel containing burnt fragments of a human skull and teeth.
According to the authors of the study, this is the only known example of ancient cremation in Angola.
For the time being, scientists cannot say for certain why such a rite was practised. It may have been linked to religious ceremonies or specific funeral traditions. Future research should provide the answer to this question.
Why this is important
The discovery shows that as early as the 15th century, there were large settlements in central Angola with their own building traditions and burial rites.
Until now, scientists knew very little about this period, so this new discovery helps to shed light on the region’s history prior to the arrival of Europeans.
Although part of the site will soon be submerged, archaeologists have already found similar stone structures outside the boundaries of the future reservoir and hope to continue their research.
Source
Study: First Evidence of Burial Practices and Stone Constructions from the 15th Century AD Pre-Colonial Middle Cuanza River, Angola.
Journal: Journal of Field Archaeology (2026).