Ancient babies in archeological Ullastret site died of natural causes, not sacrifice 

A groundbreaking study by researchers at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and the Catalan archeological museum (MAC) has revealed that ancient Iberian infants found at the Ullastret archaeological site died of natural causes rather than being victims of sacrificial practices.  

The site in the municipality of Ullastret, in northeastern Catalonia's Baix Empordà county, is one of the most significant Iron Age archaeological sites on the Iberian Peninsula, from around the 4th and 3rd centuries BC.  

The research, which applied genetic analysis to the remains discovered during the first explorations, found no evidence of sex selection or infanticide. Instead, the study suggests that newborns and infants were buried within their homes as part of a normalized family ritual.  

The remains of the Ullastret babies have been excavated since the 1950s, but previous studies, most recently in the 1990s, relied on indirect evidence. In this new study, a team from UAB's research group in biological anthropology and MAC reexamined the archeological context of their infant burials, applying advanced genetic and dental histology analysis to reconstruct their biological profiles.  

The team analyzed 15 individuals recovered from two key areas of the site, Illa d'en Reinax and Puig de Sant Andreu. Eight were identified as female, five as male, and two could not be genetically tested.  

Some of the burials included premature infants who died in the womb, but most were full-term newborns who lived for at least a month, with the longest-surviving baby reaching 12 weeks.  

The distribution of age and gender among the deceased was consistent with natural infant mortality patterns, ruling out previous theories of selective infanticide. Additionally, two individuals buried together shared a genetic lineage, suggesting a maternal family connection.  

''These are the remains that we have been able to study, providing key insights into both funerary rituals and the biology of these infants,'' said UAB professor of physical anthropology Assumpció Malgosa. Unlike adults, who were cremated, Iberian infants were typically buried within their homes.  

The findings contradict earlier interpretations of two burials at Puig de Sant Andreu, previously thought to be ritual deposits placed near an altar. Instead, researchers believe the practice reflects an intimate family tradition in which infants were buried within the household, regardless of their gender. 

Researchers also found evidence of grave reuse in two cases. As well as multiple burials from different phases of the settlement's occupation in the same are indicating that residents were aware of existing burial sites.  

Ullastret, home to the largest known oppidum, meaning fortified city, in Catalonia remains mostly uncovered, with only 5% of Illa d'en Reixac and 20% of Puig de Sant Andreu excavated so far.  

''There is still a lot of research to be done,'' Malgosa said. ''The more data we collect, the better we can understand whether burial customs varied among different Iberian communities or followed a shared cultural tradition.