What was the first case of deliberate burial of the dead?

The first known case of deliberate burial of the dead is often associated with the burial practices of Neanderthals, particularly the discovery at the Shanidar Cave in Iraq, where remains dated to around 50,000 years ago were found with possible signs of ritualistic burial. Another significant early example is the burial of Homo sapiens in Europe, such as the site at Dolní Věstonice in the Czech Republic, where a burial dated to approximately 29,000 years ago included grave goods. These practices indicate an early recognition of the significance of death and the afterlife in human cultures.