The Transatlantic Slave Trade: Women Buried Alive and Chained by Ancient Empires 100,000 Years Ago

The idea that ancient empires buried women alive and chained them 100,000 years ago has been circulated as a shocking story about early human civilizations. However, this account does not match historical evidence, archaeological findings, or our understanding of human societies during that period. Below, we take a closer look at why this myth is baseless.

First, it is essential to clarify what humanity was like 100,000 years ago. During this period, Homo sapiens were primarily hunter-gatherers living in small nomadic groups. There were no “empires” as we understand them today.

Large-scale civilizations, characterized by organized cities, complex governments, and advanced social structures, did not emerge until about 5,000 or 6,000 years ago, with the development of Mesopotamia and Egypt. Therefore, the idea of ​​organized rituals or punishments, such as burying women alive and chaining them, is historically implausible for that time.

Archaeologists have discovered burial sites dating back tens of thousands of years, but these finds tell a very different story. Early human graves from this period often show signs of care and reverence, such as the inclusion of tools, animal bones, or symbolic ornaments. These practices reflect respect for the deceased, rather than acts of brutality.

For example:

Qafzeh Cave, Israel (92,000 years old): Graves were found containing skeletons of adults and children accompanied by red ochre, suggesting ritual or symbolic behaviors.
Shanidar Cave, Iraq (60,000 years old): Neanderthal burials showed evidence of flowers placed with the dead, indicating respect and possibly mourning rituals.
There is no evidence to support systematic abuses, such as chaining or burying people alive, during this era.

The myth of women buried alive and chained likely stems from misinterpretations or distortions of historical practices from much more recent civilizations. For example:

Sacrificial practices: Some ancient societies, such as the Aztecs or Chinese, performed human sacrifices, often tied to religious beliefs. However, these practices are much more recent (thousands, not hundreds of thousands, of years ago).
Burials with servants or slaves: Some ancient cultures buried elite individuals with their servants or concubines, who may have been previously sacrificed. Again, these practices occurred thousands of years ago, not in prehistoric times.
Over time, sensationalized accounts and fictional reinterpretations likely blurred these historical realities, leading to exaggerated claims about prehistoric humanity.

The lack of evidence of such practices 100,000 years ago is supported by the following points:

There were no empires: The social structures necessary for “empires” did not develop until much later.
Evidence of cooperation: Early humans relied heavily on cooperation to survive, making systematic oppression of a group, such as women, unlikely.
Cultural evolution: Burial care rituals suggest that early humans valued community and kinship, rather than resorting to violence against their own kind.

The myth of women buried alive and in chains by ancient empires 100,000 years ago is not supported by science or historical evidence. Rather, it appears to be a modern fabrication that mixes fragments of historical practices from much more recent periods with sensationalist imagination.

By understanding our shared history through archaeology and anthropology, we can separate fact from fiction and appreciate the complexity of early human societies without perpetuating unfounded myths.