As political furiousness broadcast across the northeastern Iberian peninsula during the Iron Age , a gruesome practice that require nailingdecapitated headsto bulwark became increasingly stylish . To find out why , a squad of researchers has applied static isotopic depth psychology to seven of these bodiless bonces , revealing fresh entropy about where the victims came from .
The beheading frenzy appears to have exact off in the sixth hundred BCE , at a time when territorialisation and conflict reached raw meridian in the region now known as Catalonia . grounds for this escalation in violence make out from the visual aspect of fortified settlement at around this time , pair with the discovery of weapon system in tombs alongside eubstance displaying unhealed harm – indicate that they were credibly fateful .
Decapitated skull , some of which show signs of having been treated with cedar tree oil and other chemical substance , also appear in the archaeological record at this point . harmonize to the study authors , these manipulation hint at “ the cosmos of specialist or individuals with specific noesis of the techniques for this provision . ”
“ Therefore , we think it was an bodily function carried out with some regularity , ” they write .
Many of thesesevered headswere also nailed onto walls , form horrifying show that have barrack numerous rendition and theories regarding their role . “ Primarily , three main groups have been established , ” say the researchers . “ 1 . skull present on the walls of house , interpreted as belong to enemies or individuals who faced punishment ; 2 . those discovered within storage stone , interpreted as offerings ; and 3 . those find within domestic spaces , render as belong to the most crucial enemies . ”
To learn more about the disturbing pattern , the study authors analyzed four skull from the settlement of Puig Castellar in Barcelona and three from the larger internet site of Ullastret in Girona . Comparing isotopic information to those obtain from local plants and animate being , they found that one of the heads from Puig Castellar came from a local while the other three belonged to someone from further afield .
The fact that all four were found in area of “ groovy public exposition , such as the settlement ’s entrance gate ” , meanwhile , leads the study authors to suspect that they were probably “ trophies of war ” .
At Ullastret , two head turned out to be local , both of which were displayed in domestic configurations . “ This information may support the hypothesis suggest that the exposed stay on would be of import inhabitants of the colony , possibly fear or vindicated by society , perhaps associated with family groups or rival factions contend for ability , ” write the discipline authors .
In contrast , the third Ullastret skull belong to an foreigner and was found in a pit , which “ could align with the hypothesis that the [ severed ] heads of “ enemy ” were brought as a trophy , and put in in box or pits , a practice document among theGauls of southern France . ”
Overall , the investigator determine that the individuals choose for decapitation “ do not appear to have been selected randomly , ” although it seems as though the beheading movement was inspired by multiple factors and practised for a variety of reason . For case , the generator express that “ at Puig Castellar , severed heads in public area could shew power , venerate authoritative community penis , or intimidate enemy . ”
Meanwhile , “ at Ullastret , the location of the heads in exposed area suggests they were important inhabitants , venerated by local high society . ”
The study is published in theJournal of Archaeological Science : news report .
