Figure. 1. Number of identified specimens (NISP) in
the Death Pit” and percentage of specimens with cut
marks (CM), percussion and/or blunt force trauma
(PERC+BFT), that are less than 25% complete
(<25%), that display low temperature thermal alteration
(LTT), pot-polish (P-P), and evidence of human
chewing (H-TM).
Figure 2. The Death Pit assemblage. (A) Death Pit age
and sex distribution with frequency of individuals that
display BFT. (B) A cranium (2616.1, ♀) with right
lateral vault BFT but which lacks opposing damage.
Insets show incipient flakes, internal vault release, and
depressed fractures indicative of dynamic fracture. (C)
Graph showing pre-conjoin completeness and facial
presence of male, female and subadult crania.
Figure 3. Processing damages in the human assemblage. (A) CMs on 1st cervical vertebra likely related to head removal (1939.0.29). (B) Dismemberment CMs (arrow 1) and PERC fracture
(arrow 2) on proximal ulna (2694.2). (C) Dismemberment and defleshing CMs on femoral neck (3088.8). (D) PM associated with a impact cone and green break on femoral shaft (1939.101.1). (E)
PM and incipient flake on femur shaft (2622.11). (F) PMs and depressed fracture on innominate (2631.19). G) Thermal alteration of maxillary fragment displaying rapid gradation from burning in the
lower left to scorching (2675.2). (H) P-P and beveling on a femur shaft fragment (1939.1b). (I-J) A metatarsal displaying opposing tooth notches (arrows 1 and 2) and depressed fractures (arrow 3)
indicative of human chewing (2637.15.1).
Figure S1. Location of Domuztepe in
cultural tradition.
southeastern Turkey and the distribution of the Halaf
Figure S2. A) Post excavation photo of the “Death Pit”. B) Conjoin map showing distribution of
refits among mapped cranial specimens. Photo by E. Carter.
Figure S3. Death Pit human assemblage MNI based on (A) crania, (B) mandibles, and (C) all
elements by age.
Figure S4. Mortality rates for the Death Pit, Mentese (Alpaslan-Roodenberg 1999, AlpaslanRoodenberg and Maat 2001), Atlit Yam, and multi-site Levantine Neolithic (Eshed et. al 2004)
populations.
Figure S5. Examples of cranial lateral blunt force trauma (A, C, E, G, I) with no opposing side
damage (B, D, F, H, J), suggesting blows to the head were initiated while skull was still fleshed
and were the cause of death. (A-B) 2631.1, adol. ♀; (C-D) 1719.4, indet. juv.; (E-F), 2644.9, adult
♀); (G-H), 2607.2, adult ♀; (I-J), 2639.1, adult ♂). Specimen 2639.1 (I-J) is the only male skull >
75% complete. Specimens 2607.2 and 2639.1 sustained excavation bone loss around the area of
impact.
Figure S6. Examples of cranial blunt force trauma illustrating intensive processing of male skulls.
Pre-conjoin (i.e. preservation at time of recovery) photographs of three male crania (A-C) and one
partially conjoined specimen. (A) 1939.95.1; (B) 1939.73.1; (C) 1939.73.5); (D) 2648.2.
Figure. S7. Cranial fragments and damages indicative of blunt force trauma. (A, C) Incipient
flakes; (B, D, E, G) internal vault release; (B, C) radiating fracture lines; (F, G) percussion marks.
(A) 1939.73; (B) 2626.1; (C) 2661.0.46; (D) 2651.0.1; (E) 2678.0.36; (F) 3074.0.41; (G)
2677.0.15b.
Figure S8. Composite drawings showing distribution of cut marks on the Death Pit skulls. Of the
31 relatively complete crania 80.6% display one or more CM.
Figure S9. Cut mark (CM) frequencies on the cervical vertebrae. The higher frequencies of atlas
and axis (C1-2) specimens with CM and the total number of CM compared to other cervical
vertebrae (C3-7) likely reflect dismemberment of the skull from the trunk.
Figure S10. CMs and their distribution on select elements. Dismemberment CMs on (A) a distal
humerus (2644.3) and (B) carpals (3209.0.10, 2644.0.19). Defleshing and/or dismemberment
CMs on (C) an infant rib (2650.27) and (D) a femoral metaphysis (1939.132). CMs on (E) an
internal rib surface possibly related to evisceration. Graph (F) summarizes the CM locations for
select elements. CMs on the epiphyses (EP) are referable to dismemberment, those on the
metaphyses (META) to dismemberment and/or defleshing, while those on the shaft (SH) are
likely exclusively referable to defleshing. Note that pelvis CMs located near the acetabulum
assigned to the EP, but all others were defined as SH. CMs on carpals and tarsals were defined
as EP.
Figure S11. Hammerstone processing damage on limb bones. Photographs showing loadpoints
with incipient and attached flakes (A, D, F), impact flake scars (A, F), and PM with striae (B, C,
E). (A) Femur shaft (2645.0.17) with two loadpoints. (B) Proximal femur shaft fragment (2632.2)
with a large PM. (C) Two PMs on a femur shaft (2645.5). (D) Incipient flakes on an ulna shaft
(2646.0.17). (E) Small PM on a fibula (2607.0.3). (F) Impact flake scar that opposes an attached
flake on a femur shaft (2650.0.2). (G) Frequencies of hammerstone damage and average number
of percussion marks. Impact damage to the scapula, carpals, and tarsals is likely related to the
use of a heavy implement during dismemberment, rather than marrow-processing.
Figure S12. Fragmentation of the Death Pit human assemblage. (A) Photograph of femur shaft
fragment sample illustrating the extreme fragmentation of most elements from the Death Pit. (B)
A line-graph showing the inverse relationship between limb bone completeness (percentage of
element NISP whose length >50% and circumference >50%) and the frequency of specimens
broken during marrow processing (HSTN). The high incidence of hammerstone fractured bones
(see Fig. 1) and the positive relationship between hammerstone fracture and decreasing element
completeness indicate that marrow-processing and possibly pot-sizing created the highly
fragmentary nature of the Death Pit assemblage.
Figure. S13. Thermal alteration. Scorching on (A) a sub-adult femur shaft (1938.34), (B) a distal
femur epiphysis (1939.8.2), (C) a right posterior occipital-parietal skull fragment (1939.73.7). (D)
Graph showing that most bones display low temperature thermal alteration (scorching) while few
are burned.
Figure S14. Evidence of Pot-polish (P-P) and pot-sizing (P-S). (A-B) Photos showing P-P on two
tibia shaft fragments (A) 2651.0.38; (B) 1939.107). (C) Graph showing frequency of P-P (endpolish) vs. non-end polish on limb long bones. (D) Graph showing uniform mean length of limb
fragments compared to widely variable average complete element lengths (data based on Trotter
and Gleser 1952).
Figure. S15. Human chewing on phalanges, metacarpals, and metatarsals. (A) Graph showing
frequency of hand and foot bones with carnivore (CVRE) and human (HMN) toothmarks (TM,
including depressed fractures). (B-C) Examples of HMN TM on (B) metatarsal 2637.0.25) and (C)
metacarpal (2637.20). (D) DPR on metacarpals and metatarsals (2643.0.4, 2437.0.33, 2651.0.15,
2614.24) and (E) phalanges (1939.0.12m, 2637.0.15, 1939.0.27j, 2674.0.28, 2643.0.2,
1939.0.12j, 2664-0.7) related to human chewing and/or processing for marrow.
Figure S16. Halaf pot sherd depicting sacrifice (historical or symbolic). This sherd was recovered
at Domuztepe Operation I from layers pre-dating the Death Pit. Painted on the sherd are two
headless corpses and a severed head, surrounded by birds. Standing to the side of the bodies is
a figure, depicted quite differently and holding a staff or club. While not directly related to the
Death Pit feast, the scene suggests that concepts of sacrifice and social hierarchy were not
unknown to Halaf residents of Domuztepe. Photograph by S. Campbell.
Table S1. The non-human Death Pit bone assemblage.
Taxon
DOMESTIC TAXA
Bos taurus
Ovis aries/Capra hircus
Ovis aries
Capra hircus
Sus scrofa
Canis familiaris
Total Domestic Taxa
WILD TAXA
Bos taurus cf. primigenius
Capra aegagrus
Cervus elaphus
Cervus/Dama
Capreolus capreolus
Equus sp.
Camis sp.
Canis aureus
Ursus arctos
Lepus spp.
Sus scrofa
Testudinides
Rodentia
Aves
Fish
Total Wild Taxa
TOTAL
Common
Name
NISP
MNI
Cattle
Sheep or
Goat
Sheep
887
1038
84
107
242
148
2512
11
27
3
1
1
6
1
2
6
1
6
1
1
2
2
11
4
48
2554
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
2
1
17
68
Goat
Pig
Dog
Wild cattle
Wild goat
Red deer
Red / Fallow
deer
Roe deer
Equid
Canid
Jackal
Brown bear
Hare
Wild pig
Tortoise
Rodent
Bird
Fish
8
5
51
Table S2. Comparison of livestock sex (A) and age (B) in the Domuztepe Death Pit and nonDeath Pit assemblages.
A Sex Ratio (F:M)
Species
Cattle(a)
Sheep/Goat(b)
B Age
Age
Category(c)/Species
Death Pit
non-Death Pit
4:1 (n=5)
1:1 (n=8)
4:1 (n=27)
2:1 (n=41)
Death Pit
Cattle
Caprids
(MNI=6)
(MNI=27)
Non-Death Pit
Cattle
Caprids
(MNI=11)
(MNI=38)
Infant
16.7
0.0
0.0
2.7
Yng Juvenile
0.0
0.0
8.0
8.1
Older Juvenile
0.0
29.0
17.0
45.9
Adult
83.3
71.0
42.0
37.8
Old Adult
0.0
0.0
33.0
5.4
(a) Based on metacarpal metrical distinction (Svensson 2008).
(b) Based on morphological distinction of the pubis and the location of the cranial muscle groove
on the ilium.
(c) Based on bone fusion data (Silver 1969) and mandibular tooth eruption and wear (Payne
1973, Zeder 1991:93, Grigson 2006). Age categories follow Armitage 1982 (cattle) and Greenfield
and Arnold 2008 (sheep/goat).
Table S3. Summary of Cranial Damages. Completeness: 1=0-25%; 2=25-50%; 3=50-75% ; 4=75100%. BFT Features: vr=internal vault release; pm=percussion mark; cf=concentric fracture line
surrounding impact zone; rf=radiating fracture line from impact zone; dc=depressed fracture with
associated concentric flake along impact fracture edge; ac=associated concentric fragments
recovered from interior of cranium; df=depressed fracture; fs=flake scar. x=present; o=absent;
na=not available or too incomplete to assess.
LEFT
RIGHT
1
na
na
2
na
na
4
o
pm vr cf
2
na
pm vr dc
4
o
o
3(1)
na
pm vr dc
4
o
vr rf ac
4(3)
vr dc ac
o
3(1)
na
vr rf
3
vr cf
pm vr dc rf
4
o
o
3
o
o
3(1)
na
vr dc cf
2(1)
vr dc
vr
2(1) pm vr dc rf fs
vr fs rf
3(1)
vr cf dc
vr dc rf fs
4
pm vr ac
o
1
na
na
4
o
vr cf rf
4
o
pm vr dc cf rf
4
o
pm vr cf rf dc fs
2(1)
vr dc
pm vr cf rf
2(1)
vr rf
vr rf
2
na
vr rf
4
o
vr dc cf rf ac
4
pm vr dc rf
o
3
vr dc rf ac
o
3
na
vr dc rf
2
pm vr dc cf
vr rf
3
o
o
1
na
na
na
na
o
na
o
na
o
o
na
x
o
o
na
x
x
x
o
na
o
o
o
x
x
na
o
o
o
na
x
o
na
FRONTAL
na
????
o
na
df (l)
o
o
o
na
pm (l)
fs
na
dc rf fs
na
vr
o
o
na
o
o
o
na
rf (l)
na
o
o
o
na
df rf (l)
pm cf rf (r)
na
OCCIPITAL
na
na
o
na
o
na
vr
o
na
na
o
na
na
na
o
vr rf (r)
o
na
o
o
o
vr
o
na
o
o
o
vr rf
na
na
na
na
na
o
na
o
na
o
o
na
na
o
na
na
na
o
o
o
na
o
o
o
na
o
na
o
o
o
na
na
na
na
FACE
na
na
o
na
o
na
o
df (l)
o
na
df (l)
na
na
na
na
na
o
na
o
df (l)
df (l, r)
na
na
na
o
o
na
na
na
o
na
DMG Oppose
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
f
i
m
m
m
m
f
m
f
f
f
i
m
i
f
m
f
i
i
f
i
DMG Oppose
Sex
<1
2-3
6-9
6-10
11-12
11-13
12-14
12-14
13-14
15-16
16-18
15-35
15-35
15-35
15-35
15-35
18-22
18-22
18-24
20-24
20-24
27-43
27-43
27-43
30-35
30-35
30-40
38-60
38-60
40-45
>40
BFT OTHER LOCATIONS
DMG Oppose
Age (years)
2614.31
2640.1
1719.4a
1939.42.3
1719.5a
2675.1
1938.23
1939.42.2
1939.42.5
2626.1
1719.31b
1939.133
2648.2
1939.73.5
1939.95
2604.7
2607.2
2662.1
1939.1
2631.1
2644.9
1939.28.1
1939.73.1
2640.2
2616.1
2639.1
1938.12
1938.27
1939.73.2
1715.1
1938.15
Completeness
(preconjoin)
Specimen
number
BFT LATERAL
na
na
o
na
o
na
o
o
na
na
o
na
na
na
na
na
o
na
o
o
o
na
na
na
o
o
na
na
na
o
na