engleski

An unusual prehistoric mass burial from Jagodnjak, eastern Croatia – a bioarchaeological approach

Here we present the results of bioarchaeological analysis of the human skeletal remains from a recently discovered prehistoric mass burial located in Jagodnjak, eastern Croatia. The pit containing multiple skeletons was situated within the perimeter of the Middle Bronze Age cemetery. However, based on the preserved pottery fragments and the presence of three Neolithic pit-dwellings in the immediate vicinity the mass burial can be dated to the Neolithic period (radiocarbon dating pending). The human remains were mostly articulated but the individual skeletons became partially commingled due to the haphazard placement of the bodies at interment as well as post-depositional processes. In total, ten male skeletons aged between 20 and 45 years were recovered. All skeletons show various pathological changes such as caries, AMTL, ectocranial porosity, cribra orbitalia, and ante-mortem fractures. Furthermore, one individual exhibits several cranial peri-mortem injuries (cuts and blunt- force trauma). A non- standard burial practice (multiple human remains haphazardly interred in one grave) as well as unusual demographic distribution (ten adult, relatively young males) might suggest an episode of intentional violence in which males were killed and quickly disposed of. This hypothesis is supported by the presence of multiple cranial peri-mortem trauma in one individual. It seems that the mass burial from Jagodnjak might be compared to the well-known LBK massacres such as Asparn/Schletz, Talheim and Schöneck-Kilianstädten. The main question – were the victims the locals or the intruders – is still unresolved, but hopefully ancient DNA and stable isotopes analyses that are in progress will provide more insight into this issue.

Prehistory ; mass burial ; injuries

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