New archaeozoological analysis of baboons buried at Hierakonpolis (Upper Egypt) shows two species were imported in the Predynastic period

Excavations, on-going since 1979, in the elite Predynastic cemetery HK6 at Hierakonpolis, Upper Egypt, have revealed the burials of more than 150 domestic and wild animals. These animals, buried whole, were interred in subsidiary graves surrounding the elaborate tombs of the highest elite, who were local or possibly regional rulers in the Naqada IC-IIB period (c. 3700-3500 BC). Among the wild fauna are elephants and baboons, species that were not part of Egypt’s native fauna during the Holocene and must have been obtained from elsewhere. Here we discuss all the finds of baboons made so far. These include 20 individuals, constituting the earliest evidence for the occurrence of these primates in Egypt. Conflicting species identification in previous publications (first as Papio hamadryas and later as Papio anubis) led us to re-evaluate the diagnostic features described to differentiate them by examining a large series of modern skulls from natural history collections. Using the criteria that we found to be valid, we show that both P. hamadryas and P. anubis were present at Hierakonpolis. At least six graves contained baboons, which were buried either in groups of up to 8 individuals or as single interments. These graves can be associated with five of the mortuary complexes identified so far, covering a time span of several generations. Rachitis, observed in one very young animal is the only evidence so far for metabolic disorders that might be related to local breeding. This suggests that the baboons were not routinely bred on site and may have been imported on several occasions into Hierakonpolis, indicating more complex trade interactions with the lands to the far south than previously assumed.