Seven left arms discovered in pit

SEVEN amputated left arms have been uncovered in a 6,000-year-old pit in the Alsace region of France.

The macabre discovery, made when archaeologists examined an area of land intended for development, has left experts scratching their heads.

“We have never seen anything like it,” admitted Bruno Boulestin, an anthropologist with the Pacea laboratory.

It was originally believed that the pit, one of 60 discovered near the village of Bergheim was a Neolithic “grain silo”, but the discovery of the bones has thrown the original theory into doubt.

The arms were not the only grisly find. The skeleton of a man who had been beaten to death was unearthed. His left arm had been cut off at the shoulder.

The complete skeletons of another man, two women and four children were also uncovered. Their bodies had been unceremoniously dumped into the pit.

Then, the seven amputated arms - including one of belonging to a child - were discovered. They had been thrown into the bottom of the pit, which scientists believe was then left open to the elements for at least a week.

Experts say no discovery like it has been made anywhere else in the world.

Photo: Odense Bys Museer