During excavations in Slovakia, archaeologists from the Center for Joint Research at Kiel University and the Archaeological Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences stumbled upon an impressive find: the remains of 38 people were found in a ditch surrounding a settlement, Kiel University reported.

Their well-preserved skeletons were jumbled together, and all but the skeleton of a young child were missing their heads. How, when and why these ancient people were beheaded, scientists have not yet been able to figure out.

The Vrable-Velke-Lehemby site (5,250-4,950 BC) was one of the largest Early Neolithic settlements in Central Europe and has been the subject of research by scientists for several years. The archaeological artifacts belong to the Linear Pottery Culture. 313 houses in three neighboring villages were identified by geomagnetic measurements.