Perimortem sharp force trauma in an individual from the early medieval cemetery of Säben-Sabiona in South Tyrol, Italy

Tumler, Daniela; Paladin, Alice; Zink, Albert

doi:10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.07.005

Cited by 12 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…In almost all affected individuals multiple lesions are documented on various bones, with blows originating from different positions. In the literature multiple perimortem lesions are frequently observed on victims of hand‐to‐hand combats in preindustrial contexts (Ingelmark, 1939; Jiménez‐Brobeil et al, 2014; Kjellström, 2005; Łukasik, Krenz‐Niedbała, Zdanowicz, Różański, & Olszacki, 2019; Murphy, 2003a; Novak, 2000; Pankowská, Galeta, Uhlík Spěváčková, & Nováček, 2019; Tumler, Paladin, & Zink, 2019; Tur et al, 2018). They may result from the attempt to incapacitate an opponent hitting them repeatedly, and/or by the attack by multiple aggressors in crowded battlefields (see Knüsel & Boylston, 2000; Novak, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Troubles in Tuva: Patterns of perimortem trauma in a nomadic community from Southern Siberia (second to fourth c.CE)

Milella

Caspari

Kapinus³

et al. 2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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Objectives: Warfare is assumed to be one of the defining cultural characteristics of steppe nomads in Eastern Eurasia. For the first-centuries CE, a period of political turmoil in Northern China and Southern Siberia, relatively few data are, however, available about the degree and variability of violence in these communities. Here, we provide new data on violence among steppe nomads during the firstcenturies CE by analyzing the type, anatomical distribution, and demographic distribution of perimortem trauma at Tunnug1 (Tuva, Southern Siberia-second to fourth c. CE). Materials and Methods: Perimortem traumas were assessed on 87 individuals representing both sexes and different age classes. The timing of the lesions was assessed based on morphological criteria, including the absence and presence of bone reactive processes and the relative plasticity of the bone at the moment of impact. The distribution by age, sex, and anatomical location of trauma was analyzed by means of logistic models, Fisher's exact tests, and 3D visualizations. Results: A total of 130 perimortem traumas, including chop marks, slice marks, penetrating lesions, and blunt traumas were identified on 22 individuals. Chop marks were mostly at the level of the skull and vertebrae and were likely caused by bladed weapons. Slice marks were found on the cervical vertebrae and cranium and may be the result of throat slitting and scalping by means of smaller bladed implements. Traumas were more frequent in males, and their presence is not correlated with age. Discussion: This study adds new data to the few available regarding violence among steppe nomadic cultures and provides new insights about the effects of political instability on the life of the people inhabiting Eastern Eurasia during the early centuries CE.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Troubles in Tuva: Patterns of perimortem trauma in a nomadic community from Southern Siberia (second to fourth c.CE)

Milella

Caspari

Kapinus³

et al. 2020

American J Phys Anthropol

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“…Sharp force trauma to the appendicular skeleton has been associated with defence injuries (upper limbs) or as a strategy to incapacitate the opponent before delivering the coup de grace (lower limbs) (Boucherie et al, 2017;Ingelmark, 1939). Typical defence injuries were seen in SK170A and SK228, featuring perimortem sharp force trauma to the humerus and radius (Table S1) as well as on SK63s' left hand (Tumler et al, 2019). Cut marks on the lower limb bones were exclusively found in SK63 (three lesions) (Tumler et al, 2019) and SK114 (one lesion).…”

Section: Sharp Force Traumamentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Typical defence injuries were seen in SK170A and SK228, featuring perimortem sharp force trauma to the humerus and radius (Table S1) as well as on SK63s' left hand (Tumler et al, 2019). Cut marks on the lower limb bones were exclusively found in SK63 (three lesions) (Tumler et al, 2019) and SK114 (one lesion). Since only femora were affected by sharp force trauma, it appears unlikely that strategic killing as seen in Wisby took place, where the tibiae (65%) were targeted (Ingelmark, 1939).…”

Section: Sharp Force Traumamentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Individuals aged 40-60 and over 60 years were differentiated, however, as only a few were over 60, data analysis and display was facilitated by combining the two age groups. SK63 (Tumler et al, 2019), estimated to be 19-25 years of age, was grouped into the 20-39 age category.…”

Section: Sex and Age At Death Estimationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bioarchaeological trauma research is predominantly based on conflict-related sites (Nicklisch et al, 2017;Novak, 2007), case studies (Forsom et al, 2017;Tumler et al, 2019) or more general analyses mentioning bone injuries. Novak and Šlaus (2010), Judd and Roberts (1999) and Agnew et al (2015) also addressed the presence of accident-related injuries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trauma patterns and injury prevalence in early medieval Säben‐Sabiona, Italy

Tumler

Paladin

Zink

2021

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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

Moreno‐Ibáñez,

Saladié,

Ramírez‐Pedraza

et al. 2024

American Journal of Biological Anthropology

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ObjectivesTo test a hypothesis on interpersonal violence events during the transition between Chalcolithic and Bronze Age in the Eastern Pyrenees, to contextualize it in Western Europe during that period, and to assess if these marks can be differentiated from secondary funerary treatment.Materials and MethodsMetric and non‐metric methods were used to estimate the age‐at‐death and sex of the skeletal remains. Perimortem injuries were observed and analyzed with stereomicroscopy and confocal microscopy.ResultsAmong the minimum of 51 individuals documented, at least six people showed evidence of perimortem trauma. All age groups and both sexes are represented in the skeletal sample, but those with violent injuries are predominantly males. Twenty‐six bones had 49 injuries, 48 of which involved sharp force trauma on postcranial elements, and one example of blunt force trauma on a cranium. The wounds were mostly located on the upper extremities and ribs, anterior and posterior. Several antemortem lesions were also documented in the assemblage.DiscussionThe perimortem lesions, together with direct dating, suggest that more than one episode of interpersonal violence took place between the Late Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze Age in northeastern Spain. The features of the sharp force trauma indicate that different weapons were used, including sharp metal objects and lithic projectiles. The Roc de les Orenetes assemblage represents a scenario of recurrent lethal confrontation in a high mountain geographic context, representing the evidence of inferred interpersonal violence located at the highest altitude settings in the Pyrenees, at 1836 meters above sea level.

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Perimortem sharp force trauma in an individual from the early medieval cemetery of Säben-Sabiona in South Tyrol, Italy

Cited by 12 publications

References 33 publications

Troubles in Tuva: Patterns of perimortem trauma in a nomadic community from Southern Siberia (second to fourth c.CE)

Troubles in Tuva: Patterns of perimortem trauma in a nomadic community from Southern Siberia (second to fourth c.CE)

Trauma patterns and injury prevalence in early medieval Säben‐Sabiona, Italy

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

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