By . Jonathan O'Callaghan . Archaeologists in Norway have unearthed what they believe to be a skull 8,000 years old that could contain the oldest remnants of a human brain. The discovery was made at a dig site in Stokke, southwest of Oslo. Initial findings suggest the skull belonged to a child no older than ten years old, while an adult was also buried in a fetal-like position in the grave. Archaeologists have found what they think is an 8,000 year old human skull in a dig in Norway. Shown here is the skull embedded in soil, but the team did not dare to scrape all the loose sand from it in fear of destroying the surface of it. It is thought to have belonged to a child of under ten years of age . The investigation took place due to a planned building of a big conference centre called the Oslofjord Convention Center. The skull was found with a gray, clay-like substance inside it and is believed to originate from about 6,000 BC, about 8,000 years ago, in the Mesolithic era. If confirmed as a human brain this would be one of the oldest brains ever found. Finds of the sort are very rare because brain tissue typically breaks down rapidly after death. It can be preserved, however, in certain conditions. Studying the brain could reveal insights into ancient diseases or pathological conditions. The excavation project involves two sites from the same interval of the Mesolithic era, about 6,000 BC, approximately 8,000 years ago. Little is known of this period of the Stone Age in eastern Norway, making the sites of particular interest. Gaute Reitan of the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, who led the excavation, told MailOnline that normally on sites like this the team finds tools, weapons and production waste - but finding organic material is very rare. ‘We thought it was too good to be true,’ said Reitan. ‘Locally geologically favourable conditions had preserved the bone material. ‘We discovered what turned out to be what we think is a human skull.’ The top of the skull was badly preserved and the inside was partly exposed, showing the grey, spongey and clay-like matter. ‘We are definitely not sure yet, but I cannot imagine this matter being anything else than brain,’ Reitan continued. The investigation took place due to a planned building of a big conference centre called the Oslofjord Convention Center. The excavation project involves two sites from the same interval of the Mesolithic era . The suspected organic matter at the dig site (pictured) is thought to originate from about 6,000 BC. Researchers think the 'brain' belonged to a child no older than ten. An adult in a fetal position and deer antlers were also found in the grave . The team thinks the skull is too small for an adult and is instead probably from an infant of a maximum of ten years of age, which explains the thin and poorly preserved top of the skull. ‘As the skull is badly preserved, we had to be very gentle, using small tools that we seldom use on Stone Age sites,’ Reitan explains. ‘Having spent nearly 8,000 years in the pit, we had to keep it from drying out quickly. Then it would have turned to dust.’ The team took the skull in a ‘big lump’ with the soil surrounding it, and have so far only examined the parts of the skull that are exposed , which is why they are not 100 per cent sure if it is human. They also say the pit was probably a grave, with a number of other bones found inside from another individual, most likely an adult. ‘The arm length is roughly the same as mine, I am 1.79 metres [5 feet and 10 and a half inches] tall, so it was probably a man,’ Reitan said. The adult had been deposited in a fetal position while there were also suspected deer antlers found in the grave. Reitan explains how the material from the grave was saved preliminarily, piece by piece, as partly cleaned bones on sandy soil, to be excavated indoors. Along with the supposed infant's skull were also found bones from an adult man and suspected deer antlers . ‘There has evidently been a lot of effort constructing the grave, but we cannot tell whether the grave has had some sort of marking on top of it, over the ground,’ Reitan said. He added: ‘This is definitely an archaeological sensation.’ The next step will be to get bone experts to examine the find closely to determine the age, sex and more of the individuals. ‘Through DNA and various analysis we are hoping to get information about where the individuals grew up, and kind of food they normally ate and more,’ explains Reitan. 'Not least we get a glimpse into people's minds, literally, meaning how they treated their dead, religious belief systems and so on.'
Archaeological dig near Oslo, Norway may have found an ancient brain .
The suspected organic matter is thought to originate from about 6,000 BC .
Researchers think the 'brain' belonged to a child no older than ten .
An adult in a fetal position and deer antlers were also found in the grave .
'This is definitely an archaeological sensation,' said Gaute Reitan of the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, who led the excavation .
By . Jonathan O'Callaghan . Archaeologists in Norway have unearthed what they believe to be a skull 8,000 years old that could contain the oldest remnants of a human brain. The discovery was made at a dig site in Stokke, southwest of Oslo. Initial findings suggest the skull belonged to a child no older than ten years old, while an adult was also buried in a fetal-like position in the grave. Archaeologists have found what they think is an 8,000 year old human skull in a dig in Norway. Shown here is the skull embedded in soil, but the team did not dare to scrape all the loose sand from it in fear of destroying the surface of it. It is thought to have belonged to a child of under ten years of age . The investigation took place due to a planned building of a big conference centre called the Oslofjord Convention Center. The skull was found with a gray, clay-like substance inside it and is believed to originate from about 6,000 BC, about 8,000 years ago, in the Mesolithic era. If confirmed as a human brain this would be one of the oldest brains ever found. Finds of the sort are very rare because brain tissue typically breaks down rapidly after death. It can be preserved, however, in certain conditions. Studying the brain could reveal insights into ancient diseases or pathological conditions. The excavation project involves two sites from the same interval of the Mesolithic era, about 6,000 BC, approximately 8,000 years ago. Little is known of this period of the Stone Age in eastern Norway, making the sites of particular interest. Gaute Reitan of the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, who led the excavation, told MailOnline that normally on sites like this the team finds tools, weapons and production waste - but finding organic material is very rare. ‘We thought it was too good to be true,’ said Reitan. ‘Locally geologically favourable conditions had preserved the bone material. ‘We discovered what turned out to be what we think is a human skull.’ The top of the skull was badly preserved and the inside was partly exposed, showing the grey, spongey and clay-like matter. ‘We are definitely not sure yet, but I cannot imagine this matter being anything else than brain,’ Reitan continued. The investigation took place due to a planned building of a big conference centre called the Oslofjord Convention Center. The excavation project involves two sites from the same interval of the Mesolithic era . The suspected organic matter at the dig site (pictured) is thought to originate from about 6,000 BC. Researchers think the 'brain' belonged to a child no older than ten. An adult in a fetal position and deer antlers were also found in the grave . The team thinks the skull is too small for an adult and is instead probably from an infant of a maximum of ten years of age, which explains the thin and poorly preserved top of the skull. ‘As the skull is badly preserved, we had to be very gentle, using small tools that we seldom use on Stone Age sites,’ Reitan explains. ‘Having spent nearly 8,000 years in the pit, we had to keep it from drying out quickly. Then it would have turned to dust.’ The team took the skull in a ‘big lump’ with the soil surrounding it, and have so far only examined the parts of the skull that are exposed , which is why they are not 100 per cent sure if it is human. They also say the pit was probably a grave, with a number of other bones found inside from another individual, most likely an adult. ‘The arm length is roughly the same as mine, I am 1.79 metres [5 feet and 10 and a half inches] tall, so it was probably a man,’ Reitan said. The adult had been deposited in a fetal position while there were also suspected deer antlers found in the grave. Reitan explains how the material from the grave was saved preliminarily, piece by piece, as partly cleaned bones on sandy soil, to be excavated indoors. Along with the supposed infant's skull were also found bones from an adult man and suspected deer antlers . ‘There has evidently been a lot of effort constructing the grave, but we cannot tell whether the grave has had some sort of marking on top of it, over the ground,’ Reitan said. He added: ‘This is definitely an archaeological sensation.’ The next step will be to get bone experts to examine the find closely to determine the age, sex and more of the individuals. ‘Through DNA and various analysis we are hoping to get information about where the individuals grew up, and kind of food they normally ate and more,’ explains Reitan. 'Not least we get a glimpse into people's minds, literally, meaning how they treated their dead, religious belief systems and so on.'
Gaute Reitan of the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, who led the excavation, told MailOnline of the Mesolithic era . The suspected organic originate from about 6,000 BC. Researchers think the 'brain' belonged to a child no older than ten. An adult in a fetal position and deer antlers were also found in the grave . The team added: ‘This is definitely an archaeological