Sparacello Vitale Stefano, Thun Hohenstein Ursula, Boschin Francesco, Crezzini Jacopo, Guerreschi Antonio, Fontana Federica
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Neuroscience and Anthropology Section, University of Cagliari, 09124, Cagliari, Italy.
Department of Humanities, Prehistoric and Anthropological Sciences Section, University of Ferrara, 44121, Ferrara, Italy.
Sci Rep. 2025 Apr 28;15(1):14857. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-94095-x.
Evidence of interpersonal violence in the Paleolithic is rare but can shed light on the presence of ancient conflict in prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies. Projectile injuries suggest confrontations between groups and have primarily been identified through lithic elements embedded in bones. Recently, the study of projectile impact marks (PIMs) has allowed for the recognition of projectile injuries in the absence of embedded elements. We report here the discovery and study of one of the earliest evidence of PIMs in human paleobiological record, found in the burial from Riparo Tagliente (individual Tagliente 1, Veneto, Italy), directly dated to ca. 17,000-15,500 cal BP. Analyses through SEM and 3D microscopy demonstrate that the femur and the tibia show clear evidence of PIMs impacting the bone from different directions. This could be due to the presence of multiple attackers, or to the victim turning between impacts. No trace of healing is present; one PIM is close to the femoral artery, which can cause a rapid death if pierced. Evidence at Riparo Tagliente could be attributed to conflict between different groups of hunter-gatherers expanding in newly opened Alpine territories during climatic amelioration after the Last Glacial Maximum.
旧石器时代人际暴力的证据很少见，但可以揭示史前狩猎采集社会中古代冲突的存在。投射物损伤表明群体之间发生了对抗，主要是通过嵌入骨骼的石器元素来识别的。最近，对投射物撞击痕迹（PIMs）的研究使得在没有嵌入元素的情况下也能够识别投射物损伤。我们在此报告在人类古生物学记录中发现并研究的最早的PIMs证据之一，它来自里帕罗·塔连特的墓葬（个体塔连特1，意大利威尼托），直接测定年代约为公元前17,000 - 15,500年。通过扫描电子显微镜和三维显微镜分析表明，股骨和胫骨显示出PIMs从不同方向撞击骨骼的明显证据。这可能是由于存在多个攻击者，或者受害者在撞击之间转动所致。没有愈合的痕迹；一个PIM靠近股动脉，如果被刺穿可能会导致迅速死亡。里帕罗·塔连特的证据可能归因于末次盛冰期之后气候改善期间，在新开辟的阿尔卑斯地区扩张的不同狩猎采集群体之间的冲突。
