# Martinón-Torres 2024: No scientific evidence that Homo naledi buried their dead and produced rock art

> María Martinón-Torres, Diego Garate, Andy I.R. Herries et al., 2024. 8 records on Mysteries Department cite it. The main published critique.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D38X03G25V3/no-scientific-evidence-that-homo-naledi-buried-their-dead  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page)  

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[Sources](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources)[Homo naledi and the Rising Star burial claims](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-naledi-burials)Martinón-Torres 2024

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# No scientific evidence that Homo naledi buried their dead and produced rock art

María Martinón-Torres, Diego Garate, Andy I.R. Herries et al., 2024. _Journal of Human Evolution 195: 103464_.

A critique of the three 2023 preprints. Argues that the features were not shown to be dug pits, that covering by sediment was not shown to be deliberate, that the stone near a hand may be a geofact, that the marks need analysis to exclude natural or animal origins and dating, and that there is no evidence of fire use by H. naledi. Also discusses the release of claims through preprints and a documentary before review.

**Homo naledi and the Rising Star burial claims** Articledoi: **[10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103464](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103464)** Checked against the original0

## What it's used for here

The main published critique.

## Cited by on this site 8 records

[The marks are natural or made by animals.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-naledi-burials/answers/ANS0D38XHXT01QH/the-marks-are-natural-or-made-by-animals)

Answer

ANS

[The stone is a natural clast that ended up near the hand.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-naledi-burials/answers/ANS0D38XGEY6EGC/the-stone-is-a-natural-clast-that-ended-up-near-the-hand)

Answer

ANS

[Critics note weathering and claws can produce similar marks and call for detailed analysis.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-naledi-burials/evidence/EVD0D38XJ5M4RT6/critics-note-weathering-and-claws-can-produce-similar-marks)

Evidence

EVD

[Published critique finds neither dug pits nor deliberate covering demonstrated.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-naledi-burials/evidence/EVD0D38XCSR5Z5T/published-critique-finds-neither-dug-pits-nor-deliberate)

Evidence

EVD

[Martinón-Torres and colleagues publish a critique of all three preprints](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-naledi-burials/events/EVT0D38X6EM35QD/martinon-torres-and-colleagues-publish-a-critique-of-all)

EVT

[María Martinón-Torres](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-naledi-burials/people/FIG0D38X40G4JYA/maria-martinon-torres)

FIG

[Homo naledi and the Rising Star burial claims](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-naledi-burials)

The mystery article

MYS

[Is the stone found by the hand in the Hill Antechamber Feature an artefact placed with the body?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/homo-naledi-burials/questions/QST0D38X7XG7DZN/is-the-stone-found-by-the-hand-in-the-hill-antechamber)

Question

QST

## Cite it

```
Martinón-Torres, M., Garate, D., Herries, A. I., & Petraglia, M. D. (2024). No scientific evidence that Homo naledi buried their dead and produced rock art. Journal of Human Evolution 195: 103464. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103464
```

[Find it at doi.org](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103464)

Key

**SRC** 0D38X03G25V3

Kind

Journal article

Rights

The publisher's

Kept

27 Oct 2026, for editors

Checked

Against the published article

Added by

[apollo](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)

The record

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