Possible interpersonal violence in the Neolithic necropolis of Campo de Hockey (San Fernando, Cádiz, Spain).

OBJECTIVE

To interpret traumatic cranial lesions on two individuals buried at the Neolithic necropolis of Campo de Hockey, Spain.

MATERIALS: Skeletal remains and grave goods associated with two individuals recovered in good condition from a single grave.

METHODS

Crania were macroscopically and radiographically analysed.

RESULTS

Of all the individuals recovered from this site, only two present perimortem skull injuries. Fractures were located on the right side of the skulls, one on the frontal bone and the other on the parietal bone.

CONCLUSIONS

The individuals present signs of interpersonal violence. In both cases, the injuries are perimortem and may have contributed to the deaths of the individuals.

SIGNIFICANCE: The identification of interpersonal violence in the two individuals buried in the tomb, alongside the archaeological context of the burials, provides unique insight into Neolithic burial practices in the Iberian Peninsula and the role that paleopathology can play in the recognition of social complexity.

LIMITATIONS: The skeletal remains of the two individuals were fragmented, rendering the identification of perimortem lesions difficult.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: New imaging techniques, including CT-scan, will provide more detailed analyses.