New approach to the burial culture of terp dwellers
PhD student Annet Nieuwhof has conducted research which included studying a number of remarkable prehistoric skulls. In her thesis, she presents an entirely new view of the rituals, including the burial culture, in the terp dwelling era. According to Nieuwhof people did not cremate their dead but kept or buried the skulls and bones in their houses after their excarnation (defleshing), all of which was part of ancestral worship.
- More information on Nieuwhof’s research
- Nuis archaeological storehouse

The weekly online video magazine Unifocus highlights topics related to the University of Groningen in the fields of research and society, student life, teaching, policy and internationalization. Watch the latest Unifocus.
More news
-
04 March 2026
How do you truly make peace after war?
-
14 February 2026
Tumor gone, but where are the words?
-
19 January 2026
Digitization can leave disadvantaged citizens in the lurch