Bioarchaeological investigations of the princely grave at Helmsdorf attesting to the violent death of an Early Bronze Age leader

Abstract

The Helmsdorf “princely” tomb, excavated at the beginning of the twentieth century, is one of the most important archaeological discoveries dating from the Early Bronze Age in central Germany. In addition to the burial inventory, which points to an elevated social position of the deceased, a number of highly fragmented skeletal remains were preserved. Forensic anthropological investigation identified three distinctive bone defects, the surfaces of which were macromorphologically and microscopically examined in greater detail. Micro-CT analyses were also carried out. The results of all examinations suggested that the defects represented three perimortem injuries. The wound morphology was indicative of the use of a bladed weapon. The combination of injuries and their locations supported the assumption of a targeted use of force to kill. A comparison of Early Bronze Age weapons and tools with the bone lesions led to the identification of a type of weapon possibly used in the attack.

Death in the high mountains: Evidence of interpersonal violence during Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age at Roc de les Orenetes (Eastern Pyrenees, Spain)

“…The chop marks produced by metal weapons are characterized by clean cuts with a V-shaped crosssection, smooth walls, with the lifting of a bone flake following the direction of the blow, and without great damage or fracturing of the surrounding bone tissue (SI, Figure S5). These SFT have been widely documented in the archeological record to permit comparison with those found in the osteological assemblage from Roc de les Orenetes (Brinker et al, 2016;Cohen et al, 2015;Dittmar et al, 2019;Fernández-Crespo et al, 2020;Forsom et al, 2017;Jiménez-Brobeil et al, 2014;Jordana et al, 2009;Nicklisch et al, 2022;Tumler et al, 2019;Valoriani et al, 2017;Zeppilli et al, 2023).…”