Cow Stone Dish (IMAGE)

Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology

Cow Stone Dish

Caption

Stone palette with zoomorphic bovine carving from the communal cemetery of Lothagam North, Kenya, built by eastern Africa's earliest herders ~5000-4300 years ago. Megaliths, stone circles, and cairns flank the 30-m platform mound; its mortuary cavity contains an estimated several hundred individuals, tightly arranged. Most burials had highly personalized ornaments. Lothagam North demonstrates monumentality may arise among dispersed, mobile groups without strong hierarchy.

Credit

Image courtesy of Katherine Grillo.

Usage Restrictions

This image may only be used in the context of reporting on this publication and with appropriate credit information.

License

Licensed content

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.