Researchers have explored a perplexing prehistoric site in the far north of Europe, shedding new light on what they believe could be a sizable Stone Age cemetery.

Located in the Finnish region of Lapland, approximately 50 miles south of the Arctic Circle, the site known as Tainiaro presents an “improbable” setting for a large hunter-gatherer cemetery from this era, as per a study published in the journal Antiquity.

This study provides the first comprehensive overview of Tainiaro.

The research team posits, albeit with some uncertainty, that the site was likely a substantial Stone Age cemetery dating back around 6,500 years, Newsweek reported.

If this hypothesis proves correct, it would rank among the largest such sites discovered in northern Europe during this period and represent the northernmost large cemetery of this age.

Numerous questions about Tainiaro remain unanswered, but the existence of a large cemetery near the Arctic Circle challenges preconceived notions of far northern Europe.

This hints at the possibility that despite harsh environmental conditions, large-scale, complex societies may have thrived in the region.

Written by B.C. Begley