Large-scale warfare occurred in Europe '1,000 years earlier than previously thought'

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Large-scale warfare occurred in Europe ‘1,000 years earlier than previously thought’

Reanalysis of skeletal remains in Spain suggests conflicts took place about 5,000 years ago in neolithic period, say researchers

Mabel Banfield-Nwachi
Thu 2 Nov 2023 20.41 GMT
First published on Thu 2 Nov 2023 20.01 GMT

The earliest period of warfare in Europe might have occurred more than 1,000 years before what was previously thought to be the first large-scale conflict in the region, researchers have suggested.

Reanalysis of more than 300 sets of skeletal remains uncovered in Spain – radiocarbon dated to between 5,400 and 5,000 years ago – indicates that conflicts took place long before powerful states formed in the region.

The number of damaged bones and the disproportionately high percentage of males suggest the wounds resulted from a period of conflict, potentially lasting at least months, the authors of a study, published in Scientific Reports, said.

Researchers found there were substantially higher injury rates for the time, with 23% of the individuals showing evidence of skeletal injuries and 10% having unhealed injuries.

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Read more: https://archive.li/YAodb

Original Guardian link (registration required): https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/nov/02/large-scale-warfare-occurred-in-europe-1000-years-earlier-than-previously-thought