Evidence for stone age cranial surgery

Alt, Kurt W.; Jeunesse, Christian; Buitrago-Téllez, C.; Wächter, Rudolf; Boës, Éric; Pichler, Sandra

doi:10.1038/387360a0

Cited by 97 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Assessing the overall antemortem disease load, we find lesions typical for the LBK: probable signs of tuberculosis in some ribs (50), traces of vitamin C deficiency (48), healed rib and longbone fractures, a likely well-healed cranial surgery following trauma ( Fig. 2A) (59), and osteomyelitis. Joint and dental diseases remain rare.…”

Section: Osteological Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The massacre mass grave of Schöneck-Kilianstädten reveals new insights into collective violence in Early Neolithic Central Europe

Meyer

Lohr

Gronenborn

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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102

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Conflict and warfare are central but also disputed themes in discussions about the European Neolithic. Although a few recent population studies provide broad overviews, only a very limited number of currently known key sites provide precise insights into moments of extreme and mass violence and their impact on Neolithic societies. The massacre sites of Talheim, Germany, and Asparn/ Schletz, Austria, have long been the focal points around which hypotheses concerning a final lethal crisis of the first Central European farmers of the Early Neolithic Linearbandkeramik Culture (LBK) have concentrated. With the recently examined LBK mass grave site of Schöneck-Kilianstädten, Germany, we present new conclusive and indisputable evidence for another massacre, adding new data to the discussion of LBK violence patterns. At least 26 individuals were violently killed by blunt force and arrow injuries before being deposited in a commingled mass grave. Although the absence and possible abduction of younger females has been suggested for other sites previously, a new violence-related pattern was identified here: the intentional and systematic breaking of lower limbs. The abundance of the identified perimortem fractures clearly indicates torture and/or mutilation of the victims. The new evidence presented here for unequivocal lethal violence on a large scale is put into perspective for the Early Neolithic of Central Europe and, in conjunction with previous results, indicates that massacres of entire communities were not isolated occurrences but rather were frequent features of the last phases of the LBK.LBK | warfare | trauma | burial | osteoarchaeology

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Section: Osteological Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The massacre mass grave of Schöneck-Kilianstädten reveals new insights into collective violence in Early Neolithic Central Europe

Meyer

Lohr

Gronenborn

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

Self Cite

102

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“…behavioral context could be studied at increasing levels of detail (Table 1). For the comparative analysis of the external and internal structure of the bone, we used a sample of adult specimens comprising (i) an archeological specimen exhibiting a healed slash resulting from sharp trauma to the cranial vault (13), (ii) three specimens with healed trepanations [one neolithic (14) and two modern skulls], and (iii) four specimens exhibiting metopic sutures and͞or persisting fontanelles.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence for interpersonal violence in the St. Césaire Neanderthal

Zollikofer

León

Vandermeersch

et al. 2002

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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The St. Cé saire 1 Neanderthal skeleton of a young adult individual is unique in its association with Châ telperronian artifacts from a level dated to ca. 36,000 years ago. Computer-tomographic imaging and computer-assisted reconstruction of the skull revealed a healed fracture in the cranial vault. When paleopathological and forensic diagnostic standards are applied, the bony scar bears direct evidence for the impact of a sharp implement, which was presumably directed toward the individual during an act of interpersonal violence. These findings add to the evidence that Neanderthals used implements not only for hunting and food processing, but also in other behavioral contexts. It is hypothesized that the high intra-group damage potential inherent to weapons might have represented a major factor during the evolution of hominid social behavior.Châ telperronian ͉ paleopathology ͉ tool use ͉ trauma ͉ computer tomography T he St. Césaire 1 Neanderthal partial skeleton was discovered in 1979 at the site of La Roche à Pierrot (near the village of St. Césaire, Charente Maritime, France), a collapsed rock shelter comprising a sequence of Mousterian, Châtelperronian, and Aurignacian deposits (1). The skeleton was recovered from level E J0P (1), which contains a Châtelperronian assemblage thermoluminescence-dated to Ϸ36,000 years ago (2, 3). This ensemble represented the first direct evidence for the association of Neanderthals with Châtelperronian implements. Together with a similar association from the site of Arcy-sur-Cure (4), these finds spurred an intense and ongoing debate over the evolutionary, paleodemographic, and cultural relationships between local Neanderthal populations and the early modern human (EMH) newcomers during the early Upper Paleolithic in Europe.The St. Césaire 1 skeleton is fragmented and partially eroded, but the reconstructed craniomandibular and long bone diaphyseal morphology permitted significant inferences regarding the phyletic status and behavioral specializations of this individual. The craniomandibular morphology of the specimen largely corresponds to the ''classical'' Neanderthal type (5). Tooth microwear analysis suggests a meat-rich diet comparable to that of earlier Neanderthals and modern hunting societies (6). The morphology of the well-preserved right femoral shaft indicates Neanderthal-type hyperarctic body proportions, but crosssectional biomechanical analysis suggests locomotor patterns closer to those of EMH than of classic Neanderthals (7).Here we report on recently discovered paleopathological aspects of the morphology of the fossil. During computerassisted reconstruction of the skull, we detected a healed fracture in the cranial vault. When paleopathological diagnostic standards (8, 9) are applied, this bony scar bears direct evidence for the impact of a sharp implement, which may have been directed toward the individual during an act of interpersonal violence. We discuss the possible behavioral context of this evidence and its implications for hominid behavior during the ...

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“…Trepanations are also well represented throughout the world, and their existence has been documented in skeletal remains from every continent (Wells, 1964;Lisowski, 1967;Margetts, 1967;Campillo, 1984;Merbs, 1989;Alt et al, 1997;Capasso et al, 2002;Blos, 2003;Andrushko and Verano, 2008;Redfern, 2010). However, the frequency of trepanantions is higher in certain parts of the world, notably South America: Peru is recognized as a major source of ancient trepanned crania (Campillo, 1984;Verano and Finger, 2009;Verano and Andrushko, 2010), the earliest of which was dated between 200 BCE and 400 AD and came from the burial site of Paracas (Verano, 2003).…”

Section: Trepanations In Time and Spacementioning

confidence: 99%

Evidence of trepanations in a medieval population (13th-14th century) of northern Spain (Gormaz, Soria)

López

Caro

Pardiñas

2011

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The goal of this study is to describe briefly two trepanned cranial specimens from a Spanish medieval archaeological site. One of them belongs to a mature male in which a grooving trepanation technique was used. The other is a mature female skull in which a scraping procedure was performed. The historical context of the individuals is assessed, as well as characteristics from both trepanations and evidence of survival after the intervention. In the female skull, signs of osseous regeneration can be observed, which imply survival after the operation. No survival signs can be found in the male skull. Possible causes that could have motivated the intervention are also discussed.

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Evidence for stone age cranial surgery

Cited by 97 publications

References 3 publications

The massacre mass grave of Schöneck-Kilianstädten reveals new insights into collective violence in Early Neolithic Central Europe

The massacre mass grave of Schöneck-Kilianstädten reveals new insights into collective violence in Early Neolithic Central Europe

Evidence for interpersonal violence in the St. Césaire Neanderthal

Evidence of trepanations in a medieval population (13th-14th century) of northern Spain (Gormaz, Soria)

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