Inside Ireland's Oldest Grave, an 'Exceptional' Find

Ireland's oldest human grave has become even more exceptional for one of its contents: The oldest polished ax on record in Europe was likely created solely for a burial, archaeologists say. The finding sheds new light on the beliefs and complex funerary rituals of the early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers who lived in Ireland about 9,500 years ago, from about 7530 B.C., the researchers said. "This type of insight into burial practices is incredibly rare for this part of the world," the study's lead