Cemetery 117

Cemetery 117 is an archaeological burial ground on the east bank of the Nile in northern Sudan, containing the remains of 61 individuals along with numerous stone tools and projectile points. The site now lies beneath Lake Nasser and is no longer accessible due to flooding during the construction of the Aswan Dam.

The burial ground was established around 13,000 years ago during the late Stone Age and was discovered in 1964 during the UNESCO salvage project before flooding by the Aswan High Dam. The site disappeared beneath the waters of the newly formed Lake Nasser shortly afterward.

The burial ground preserves traces of repeated clashes between groups competing for water and hunting territories along the Nile. These conflicts show how closely neighboring communities lived during the late Stone Age and defended their areas against intruders.

The skeletal collection is currently housed at the British Museum in London, where researchers can examine the bones. Scientists analyze the injury patterns to learn more about violence and social structures in this early period.

Recent analysis identified over 100 previously overlooked injuries on the bones, pointing to multiple violent encounters over an extended period. The skeletons also show healed wounds, meaning some people survived several battles.