19577
Accession Number
30592
Title Of Article Chaper
Evidence of Interpersonal Violence at the Chalcolithic Village of Shiqmim (Israel)
Title Of Journal Book
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology
Volume
13
Pages
115-119
Collation
5 p. : ills.
Reference Bibliography
Includes bibliographic references
Language Of Text
English
Literature Type
Serial
Literature Level
Analytic
Abstract
Three circumscribed depressed fractures were found on the skull of an adolescent boy recovered from a primary intramural burial at the Chalcolithic site of Shiqmim, northern Negev, Israel dated to (~4500-3200 BCE). The fractures were located on the left side and back of the skull. They are circular in outline and have sharp margins containing numerous small bone fragments. These indicate that the skull was fractured when the bone was still fresh and were the probable cause of death. The location of the fractured areas is typical of blows inflicted by a right-handed individual in face-to-face conflict. The size and shape of the fractures, suggests that they were inflicted by a blunt instrument, possibly a mace head. The absence of any signs of healing or infection indicates that all fracture occurred within a short space of time and resulted in death. Neither biological characteristics nor burial pattern show any unique features that distinguish this individual from others recovered at this site.
Keywords
cranial; trauma; skeletal; chalcolithic; levant; Israel; shiqmim
pub_id
19577