From ashes to mortuary rituals: Identifying cremation burials and exploring concepts of death in late Neolithic Southern China

Rectangular, shallow, small-sized pits containing charcoal, ash, bone fragments, and red sintered clay patches are frequently discovered at Neolithic sites in South China. However, their nature and possible association with mortuary practices have long been disputed. This study presents a multiproxy analysis of such pits from the Luojiachong and Tianduanli sites, dating to the Shijiahe Culture (ca. 4500-4000 BP) in Hunan Province, China. Through microscopy, histomorphometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), visual color and micro-crack assessment, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and phytolith analysis, we provide consistent evidence that supports the interpretation of these pits as cremation-related burials. Histomorphometric data, supported by multivariate analyses, are consistent with a human origin for the remains. FTIR indices, coloration patterns, and fracture patterns point to heating to temperatures of approximately 700–900 °C. In contrast, low-temperature thermal signatures (<550 °C) on the pit walls and fills, together with charred phytoliths, suggest a separate, pre-burial ritual fire. This marked thermal discrepancy, combined with the cyanamide signal and shallow pit dimensions, supports an interpretation of off-site cremation, with the pit fire likely associated with pre-burial rituals akin to ethnohistorical “warming the grave” practices. Linear marks observed on some bone fragments may suggest pre-cremation body processing, but their identification as anthropogenic cut marks remain inconclusive due to thermal overprinting and taphonomic constraints. Overall, these findings provide robust evidence for complex mortuary rituals in late Neolithic South China, including high-temperature cremation, low-temperature grave preparation, and possible body treatment, enriching our understanding of regional diversity in mortuary practices. Broader comparative studies are nevertheless required to clarify the origins and spatiotemporal development of cremation customs in Neolithic China.