Fresh leads in 3,000 year old murder

Ulrich sez, "My father blogged for the first time on my site, writing up a 3,000 year old murder case. In short, some archaeologist found some skulls surrounding a neolithic henge in southern Germany and found some good evidence that they children were murdered. The local museum has a new exhibit on the discovery as well as some speculation on why the Bronze age settlers might have killed the children."

The murder was brutal--and it took place over 3,000 years ago. Archaeologists first found the skulls in the 1920s when they excavated a Neolithic settlement called "Wasserburg". At the time, the Neolithic settlement was a relatively bustling place. The people kept horses that they used to pull wagons and sleds, and even had a metal workshop that was able to cast bronze artifacts.

The scientists found six skulls equally spaced on the outside of the palisade fence surrounding the settlement. Only the skulls of the victims were found. Five of the skulls were children three to sixteen years old. The sixth skull was from a 50 year old woman.

Using forensic tools, scientists have shown that the children died 900 years BC and some of them may have been related. The scientists have also reconstructed their skulls, speculating that the boy was killed with a blunt club. The girl was most likely killed with a sharp metallic instrument like a sword or a lance. Small copper particles were detected in her skull.

A 3,000-Year Old Cold Case: Who Killed The Children In Bad Buchau? (Thanks, Ulrich!)

[#1 posted by Xopher, June 16, 2009 9:07 AM]

This museum goes on my must-see list if I ever go back to Germany.

[#2 posted by Hans, June 16, 2009 10:02 AM]

Wow, how the passage of time changes things. I can only imagine it is the intervening 3000 years which allows this to be tagged "happy mutants."

[#3 posted by Anonymous, June 16, 2009 10:13 AM]

Just to be pedantic:
Neolithic ("New Stone [Age]")≠Bronze Age

[#4 posted by Anonymous, June 16, 2009 10:24 AM]

3000 BP was late Bronze Age in Southern Germany. Neolithic ended around 3500 BCE. Horses and bronze also sound like more Bronze Age than Neolithic.

[#5 posted by jfrancis, June 16, 2009 2:30 PM]

And there is no statute of limitations on murder, either. I hope they catch the guy.

[#6 posted by Anonymous, June 16, 2009 4:01 PM]

Um, you don't put the heads of murder victims on the fenceposts. You put the heads of executed criminals and enemies on the fenceposts. The difference is that execution is socially or governmentally sanctioned, but murder is not necessarily.

Europeans behaved in a similar way in the Congo relatively recently (there the executions were sanctioned by various corporations and Belgium's King Leopold.)

And honestly, has it been so long since women and children's skulls decorated the Tower of London? You might want to check your history books on that...

[#7 posted by Anonymous, June 17, 2009 4:01 AM]

yep. give it an edit-meaning is vague. bronze was definitely not around in the neolithic age (3499-2500cal.BC), but people using bronze (2499-500cal.BC) could be found living in sites previously settled in Neolithic times. that's why the 'bronze age' comes after the 'neolithic age'! much obliged...