Citation

Tumler D, Paladin A, Zink A. Int. J. Paleopathol. 2019; 27: 46-55.

Affiliation

Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy. Electronic address: albert.zink@eurac.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.07.005

PMID

31561174

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To provide a detailed analysis and interpretation of cranial and postcranial lesions noted on an early medieval skeleton from the Italian Alps. MATERIALS: Individual (SK63) was buried within the early Christian church (5^th-8^th centuries AD) of Säben-Sabiona in South Tyrol (Italy).

METHODS: The skeleton underwent macroscopic, microscopic and metric analyses.

RESULTS: SK63 was a 19-25 year old male, the analysis identified at least 29 lesions, consisting of three possible antemortem injuries and 26 perimortem sharp force injuries on the cranium (n = 4) and postcranium (n = 22).

CONCLUSIONS: The trauma pattern observed indicates that different bladed weapons were used and interpersonal violence rather than a large-scale conflict led to the death of SK63. SIGNIFICANCE: The present findings provide novel information on violent interpersonal interactions in early medieval Säben-Sabiona, Italy. LIMITATIONS: The sequence of the inflicted injuries was not reconstructed. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Future interdisciplinary investigations (i.e., 3D imaging and reconstructions) will provide a better understanding of the possible types of weapons used to inflict injuries, the required forces to create the lesions, as well as the directions of impact.

Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Interpersonal conflict; Italian alps; Violence; Weapons