Archaeologists believe they have found remains of oldest known gay man

by Bailey Haack

Archaeologists in the Czech Republic discovered the 5,000-year-old skeleton of a man who they believe may have been either transgender or homosexual.

The man was buried on his left side with his head facing East, and according to ABC News, he was surrounded by domestic objects such as jugs and an oval shaped container at his feet.

These objects are usually associated with women's burials, according to FOX News. Lead researcher Kamila Remisova said men during that period were buried on their right side, facing West.

"We believe this is one of the earliest cases of what could be described as a transvestite or third-gender grave in the Czech Republic," said Remisova at a press conference Tuesday, according the FOX.

Men of this period were traditionally buried with weapons, including battle axes and flint knives, which were not found at the Czech gravesite, according to ABC.

"From history and ethnology, we know that people from this period took funeral rites very seriously," said Remisova, "so it is highly unlikely that this positioning was a mistake," ABC reported.