New research suggests that servants of early Egyptian kings were ritually sacrificed upon the death of their ruler. The findings, based on the study of remains excavated from the royal cemetery at Umm el-Qa’ab near Abydos, reveal skull fractures indicative of violent death. This supports a long-held theory proposed by early Egyptologists regarding burial practices during the First Dynasty, dating back to around 3,000BC. The cemetery at Umm el-Qa’ab contains tombs and enclosures associated with these early rulers. Researchers analyzed remains found within the complex, focusing on trauma to the skulls. The evidence indicates that court officials and craftspeople may have been deliberately killed as part of funerary rites, accompanying their king into the afterlife. Further investigation is ongoing to fully understand the extent and nature of these sacrificial practices in ancient Egypt.