Posted on 01/08/2023 10:11:11 PM PST by SunkenCiv
In 2006, the skeleton of a decapitated man was found near the entrance to a Medieval tomb that had been built in the 11th century. At the time, researchers suggested the location of the tomb indicated that the skeleton had likely once belonged to a member of the De Citillio family, who had built the church.
Initial study of the skeleton of the young man showed that he was approximately 19 to 24 years old when he died. He had the musculature of an archer and a healed wound on his forehead suggesting he had prior experience in warfare. Closer examination using X-ray technology, tomography and digital microscopy, allowed the researchers to create a virtual skull, which in turn helped to reveal the likely timeline of his death.
Examining the placement and angle of the wounds to the skull, the researchers found evidence that suggested the young man had been struck first on the front, top part of his head by a weapon, likely a sword as he faced his attacker. The wound was not deep, suggesting the victim had used a shield to deflect the blow. Then it appears he turned and began to run away.
But he was not able to escape and was hit on the head again, this time from behind, near his ear and then again on the back of the neck. Such blows appeared to have had enough force to knock the young man to the ground, perhaps making him unconscious. One more blow came, this one to the top, back part of the head. Its depth suggested that the young man was no longer attempting to ward off his attacker and that the attacker was intent on killing his victim. The last blow would also have meant nearly instant death.
(Excerpt) Read more at phys.org ...
Wounded to death. Holistic, multimodal reconstruction of the dynamics in a case of multiple perimortem cranial injuries from a medieval site in northern Italy, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.1036Credit: Chiara Tesi et al, Wounded to death.
His descendants have been contacted by lawyers who want them to sue President Trump for wrongful death.
Pure unfounded speculation...
“Examining the placement and angle of the wounds to the skull, the researchers found evidence that suggested the young man had been struck first on the front, top part of his head by a weapon, likely a sword as he faced his attacker. The wound was not deep, suggesting the victim had used a shield to deflect the blow. Then it appears he turned and began to run away.
But he was not able to escape and was hit on the head again, this time from behind, near his ear and then again on the back of the neck. Such blows appeared to have had enough force to knock the young man to the ground, perhaps making him unconscious. One more blow came, this one to the top, back part of the head. Its depth suggested that the young man was no longer attempting to ward off his attacker and that the attacker was intent on killing his victim. The last blow would also have meant nearly instant death.”
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OR it could mean he got jumped by two or more guys in a crowded swirling fight. Or his friend behind him hit him while swinging at anther enemy. Or something else entirely. They are just guessing, starting with an assumption that he was fighting one and only one guy.
I lend much more credence to the folks who’ve actually examined the skull.
An examination of the skull cannot possibly tell you he was hit in the head and partially blocked the blow. Then turned to run and the guy he was racing connected with a side of the head hit. Then he was on he ground and the attacker hit a third fatal blow.
It could have been two or three against one in that instant. he may have been close to a comrade who was also fighting and his violent swing at an attacker connected with his friend beside him.
This is the weakness archaeology always has to guard against... conclusions and narratives not supported by evidence.
But interesting artifact.
Evidently they found the decapitated head nearby?
In other words he pissed someone off?
Did they move to ban swords?
Welcome to anthropology, the “science” of unfounded speculation... ha ha. When I took an anthropology I made this point to our rather renowned (on History channel all the time) professor... “Three bear skulls in a cave doesn’t prove these people had a religion and social infrastructure based on the bear, that is pure speculation, it could just mean that three bears died in a cave, or that people thought bear skulls made cool decorations”
There they are again studying your old handiwork and your Valkyric conduct.
Moo Hyul was always courteous enough to introduce himself before the carnage so they remembered his name!!
Moo Hyul - Six Flying Dragons...
If only WOMEN ran things back then, all would have been peaceful, much as it is now with women making most of the key decisions on Ukraine.
This is where experimental archaeology could help. If they had access to some guys well trained in contemporary fighting techniques (assuming we know what they were or could approximate them), you could have them fight various scenarios to see which would be more likely to have caused the wounds.
But "more likely" is about the best you could get.
BTW, one of the more interesting observations from medieval cemeteries is the rate of homicide. I read a long time ago that Merovingian era cemeteries in France showed from peri-mortem bone cuts that the leading cause of death for males 15-30 was homicide.
After looking at the evidence, I say it was suicide.
LOL
Before this article, I would never have guessed that multiple sword blows would lead to brutality of death. /j
Yeah, the Russian decisionmaking on its wars of conquest and extermination has been piss poor.
What did he know about Hillary! and when did he know it? That's the real question.
De Citillio didn’t kill himself.
It was his wife. He told her she needed to lose some weight.
Wow... interesting. I suspect we can scarcely imagine the reality of life back then.
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