Studija slučaja
https://doi.org/10.5671/ca.47.3.6
Weapons Related Perimortem Injuries in an Individual From the Krbava Cathedral Cemetery in Croatia - Possibly Sustained During the Battle on Krbava Field in 1493
Mario Šlaus
; Anthropological Center, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb, Croatia
Anamarija Uglešić
; Anthropological Center, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Zagreb, Croatia
Sažetak
Recent archaeological excavations of the historic period Krbava cathedral cemetery in the Lika region of Croatia revealed the presence of an individual with an antemortem fracture typical of interpersonal violence as well as a large number of perimortem sharp force injuries located in the cranial and postcranial skeleton. The cemetery is located just 500 meters south of the field of Krbava where a large battle between an Ottoman and Croatian army was fought in 1493. Archaeological evi¬dence and radiocarbon dating indicate that this individual was buried during the youngest phase of the site which dates from the first decades of the 15th until the end of the first quarter of the 16th century. The aim of this paper is to evaluate whether he may have been a soldier who perished in the battle. Osteological analysis of the skeleton shows the presence of several occupational stress markers associated with high physical activity during life, as well as numerous perimortem in¬juries that were produced by sharp objects similar to a saber. Their location in the shoulder, arm, neck, and cranial area suggests that the head was the main target of attack demonstrating the intention to incapacitate the victim as quickly as possible. Other potential hypotheses for this individual’s death, such as judicial execution, or a tavern brawl are also explored but cumulatively the collected osteological data, in conjunction with the available archaeological and historical evidence, suggest that he was a professional soldier who was killed in the battle fought on the field of Krbava in 1493.
Ključne riječi
perimortem injury; trauma analysis; paleoamthropology; osteological markers of physical stress; medieval battle; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
312681
URI
Datum izdavanja:
9.10.2023.
Posjeta: 172 *