Battle-related trauma

Archaeological excavations carried out in 1972 and 2010-2011 in the University Square, Bucharest, Romania, brought to light 688 graves belonging to the Saint Sava Church Cemetery, dating between the middle of the 16th century and middle of the 19th century. At 35 metres from the western boundary of the cemetery, a mass grave containing three adult male skeletons was unearthed. The unusual position of the skeletons and the high incidence of traumatic injuries on the bones posed several questions concerning the historical and archaeological context of this grave. Osteological analysis of the skeletons revealed that all three individuals exhibited a series of occupational stress markers, indicating similar activities and associated with moderate physical activity during life. A total number of 24 perimortem lesions (caused mainly by sabres but also by blunt objects and projectiles) were recorded on the skeletal remains. The high percentage of cranial injuries may indicate that the head was the main target, demonstrating the intention to incapacitate the victims quickly and being different from those connected to executions in the period. Eight of these lesions were produced by sharp objects similar to sabres used by professional soldiers during the 16th-17th century in southeastern Europe. The osteological profile of the individuals and the injuries they sustained suggest that the victims had a military background and were probably killed at the end of the 16th century during a violent dispute.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Fighting to the Death: Weapon Injuries in a Mass Grave (16th–17th Century) from Bucharest, Romania

Constantinescu

Gavrilă²,

Greer

et al. 2015

“…Linduff & Rubinson, ). Many of these individuals, such as the soldiers killed at the Battle of Towton (England, 1461 AD) (Novak, ), could certainly be considered IRs. However, without this very unique battlefield context, the social identification of individuals with multiple injuries must be carefully made.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple Injury and Health in Past Societies: An Analysis of Concepts and Approaches, and Insights from a Multi‐Period Study

Redfern

Judd

DeWitte

2016

Earlier clinical and bioarchaeological studies found that injury recidivists were most likely to be young adult males. Since then, the clinical meaning of the injury recidivist has expanded to include all individuals with multiple injuries, and other aspects of health have been considered. Our study sought to apply these advances to paleopathology and place multiple injuries in a wider context by investigating: the age and sex distribution of those with single and multiple fractures, and if people with multiple injuries had poorer general health. The sample of 213 males and 190 females (≥18 years old) from six populations in England, Siberia, and Sudan ranged in date from the 3rd century BC to the mid‐19th century AD. Health variables included cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, periostitis, Schmorl's nodes, enamel hypoplasias, dental caries, and periodontitis. Ante‐mortem injuries were: fractures (0/1/≥2), myositis ossificans, dental trauma, and sharp‐force injuries. The data were analysed using chi‐square and hierarchical loglinear analyses (P = 0.05). No significant three‐way association between age, sex, and injury was found. There was no difference between the sexes when individuals with single versus multiple injuries were compared. There were significant differences in the age‐distribution of people with 0 and 1/≥2 fractures. Males and those 26–35 years old were most likely to have fractures and multiple injuries. Porotic hyperostosis was significantly associated with fractures. There was no significant relationship between general poor health and multiple injuries. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

“…It is also possible that these were battle‐related injuries. But, research into medieval war graves depicts a much different injury pattern, with the head being the main target (Novak, ). While in many of these studies the individuals were not of very high status, the injuries found on the skeleton of Richard III and individuals buried in the Oslo cathedral suggest that those of high status were not exempt from serious injuries during battle or its aftermath, even with the apparent protection of armour (Appleby et al ., In press; Brødholt & Holck, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Violence‐Related Trauma from the Cistercian Abbey of St Mary Graces and a Late Black Death Cemetery

Krakowka

2015

The skeletal assemblage excavated from the precinct of St Mary Graces in London (part of the MIN86 collection curated at the Museum of London) is composed of two separate burial populations: the abbey burials, both intra-and extramural, and the western cemetery, which was a burial ground for victims of the later waves of the Black Death. Representing both ends of the social status spectrum, these two cemeteries offer a unique look at the patterns and prevalence of violence in a small cross section of the medieval London population. The lower status males from the western cemetery presented with a large number of skull fractures, indicating a high level of violence. The high-status individuals buried within the abbey were not immune from violence-related trauma. They presented with a large number of rib fractures, possibly a result of combat or combat practice as many of these individuals were knights and lords.