Aging cremated infants: the problem of sacrifice at the Tophet of Carthage

• Published in: Antiquity Vol. 85; no. 329; pp. 859 - 874
• Main Authors: Smith, P., Avishai, G., Greene, J.A., Stager, L.E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.09.2011; Portland Press
• Subjects: Age; Age determination (Biology); Age determination (Zoology); age estimations; Aging; Ancient civilizations of the near east; Archaeological excavation; Archaeology; Art and archaeology; Bible; Carthage; Carthago and Punic colonies; Cemeteries; Cremation; Debate; Debates; deciduous teeth; Funerary archaeology; infant burials; Infanticide; Infants; Inscriptions; Israel; Mesopotamia and Near East; Methods; Sacrifice; Teeth; Tophet; Carthage; Carthage; Tunisia; Israel; Jerusalem Israel; United States > US; Carthage; cremation; deciduous teeth; age estimations; Tophet; infant burials; Human sacrifice; Infant; Method; Physical anthropology; Scanning electron microscope; Cremation; Burial; Odontology; Incineration; Tooth; Bone; Child; Punic; Age at death; Phoenician
• ISSN: 0003-598X; 1745-1744
• DOI: 10.1017/S0003598X00068368

The Greeks and Romans reproached the Phoenicians for the sacrifice of infants, and the excavation of cremated infants at ‘Tophets’ (named after the sacrificial site in Jerusalem mentioned in the Bible) seems to bear this out. However, the argument for infant sacrifice depends largely on a skewed age profile, and age is not easy to determine. The authors approach this problem with a battery of new techniques, showing that in the Tophet of Carthage the majority of the infants died between one and one and a half months. Sacrifice was thus very probable.