'Dem Bones, Dem Bones

 


'Dem Bones, Dem Bones 





A study of the bones and consequently, of the people who owned the bones has been carried out by David Lawrence, in his thesis, ”Orkneys First Farmers, Reconstructing biographies from osteological analysis to gain Insights into life and society in a Neolithic community on the Edge of Atlantic Europe”.


At Isbister, he studied a group of skeletons who represented a group of 85 people, half of whom were younger than 25 years old, and half older.


In those that he could establish a gender, 15 were probably female, and 28 probably male. 


The most striking feature of David’s and other studies of Orkney skeletons is the high prevalence of evidence of violence, as 20% of those skulls that survived at Isbister Cairn carried evidence of injuries that might have been caused by direct blows to the head using various types of weapon. Both sexes and all ages were affected. 


Another fracture wound which was present in 10% of little finger bones that were found was thought to be caused by a poorly delivered fist punch.   


In his “Summary of Trauma” David says:-


“The large number of crania with fractures reflects (often deadly) interpersonal violence. Fracture form included circular blunt force trauma consistent with a direct mace blow or slingshot strike, linear and ovoid blunt force trauma consistent with clubs, weapon hafts or rocks, narrow penetrating trauma consistent with a pointed weapon such as a spear or arrow with a sharpened tip or an antler pick; and sharp force trauma consistent with a glancing axe. The Multiple lesions of IS(7284) and IS(1973) particularly indicate close contact rather than missile attack, with IS(1972) probably being ‘finished off’ with a cluster of blows after being stunned: the shape of the anterior lesion implicating a blunt weapon with circular cross-section, whilst the lateral lesions suggest use of considerable force producing fractures of similar size and therefore all consistent with a single weapon. The stone fragment embedded in IS(7114) might be taphonomic but, associated with a closely fitting endocranial hinged spall seems more likely to be part of a broken weapon, perhaps carved intentionally but possibly a weapon of convenience. The close Similarity of the circular penetrating lesions in IS(1957) and ABDUA90046, with peripheral crushing also seems more likely to derive from hand weapons, as do the examples of sharp force trauma (IS7280) and IS(2640). Other blunt force trauma has punched out Bone discs and sometimes split crania (e.g. IS(7207)). Fractured or dislocated mandibles (IS(1973), IS(6703) and ABDUA90037) however could equally result from empty-handed assault (consistent with observed metacarpal fractures) as armed attack.


The majority of longbone fractures observed seem, in contrast, consistent with an accidental origin. All those recorded were well-healed, which supports a distinction in aetiology from at least some cranial fractures. Radius fracture seems rather common (about 4% of right adult radii) and there is a greater Prevalence of radius trauma to the right side than the left, as there is of distal Degenerative Joint Disease. This may imply that trauma relates to handedness , which might suggest that it does not occur only as a result of symmetrical activity but the sample of fractures alone is small and the difference In numbers is statistically insignificant. Perhaps more importantly, Colles Fracture tends to occur in adults after the age of 40 years and is not common in youth (Adams 1962:139-140). This would be consistent with an age-related Element to some of the vertebral crush fractures recorded, whilst other cases of vertebral trauma are more likely violence related.


It may be significant that the right metacarpals also seem to have been more prone to injury than the left, including both trauma and enthesopathy but not Degenerative Joint Disease. The prevalence of fifth metacarpal fracture is highly suggestive of interpersonal violence, which supports observations on the crania but has no obvious direct relationship to trauma of the radius.”


Also, of some significance, is the frequency of severe wounds, including head injuries, that had been survived, and had healed, allowing the individual to return to some sort of active life. 


In some cases, these healed wounds, in spite of healing well, led to secondary osteoarthritis, and secondary degenerative joint disease in the adjoining bones, affecting bodily posture.


“One individual had two healed lesions to the left posterior parietal and one had a healed left Superior parietal lesion as well as apparent damage (crushing or subluxation?) at the left Squamosal suture.”


“One individual had healed wounds that may have been delivered following a stunning blow anteriorly, face-to-face; this might also suggest an initial swinging blow delivered laterally to the point of the jaw or possibly a kick after the individual had fallen.”


Lawrence commented that, “Although some recorded lesions may have been caused by accidents, face-to-Face violence seems to have been endemic.” 


In Summarising Trauma in the Radius bone of the arm Lawrence describes an injury that may have been caused by a fall broken by the outstretched hand, leading to tenderness, osteoporosis and Restricted use of the fingers, hand and wrist (McRae 1994:178). The well-healed appearance of the break suggested that the ulnae may not have been similarly affected or that a repair was effected by the use of a splint.


Finding a fractured finger bone, he describes ”a healed Case of a spiral (or possibly oblique) fracture, typically caused by shearing Forces whilst delivering an unskilled blow with a clenched fist, or by twisting of The little finger (Dandy 1993:224). “


In a Lower Limb injury :- “ The near normal alignment and the well-healed nature of the lesion suggest that this is the result of a green-stick fracture in youth . “


And In a foot injury:- “This appears to be a well-Healed oblique fracture that may have been associated with soft tissue damage. Apposition remained close but rotation and displacement of the distal element may have deformed the foot and caused ambulatory difficulties.”


Serious Injury of the individual did not automatically foretell an early death.

All views and opinions expressed are my own, but it remains a work-in-progress for which positive criticism and comment is welcomed.


*

This is one of a loosely attached group of blogs called the "Orkney Riddle".

The key blog to the group is called the "Neolithic Immigrants to Britain" 

Jeffery Nicholls 

South Ronaldsay 

Orkney 

Jiffynorm@yahoo.co.uk 




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