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Bioarchaeological field analysis of human remains from the mass graves at Phaleron, Greece. With an introduction by Stella Chryssoulaki and an appendix by Anna Linderholm, Anna Kjellström, Vendela Kempe Lagerholm, & Maja Krzewińska
- Source :
- Opuscula. Annual of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome. :7-158
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- Editorial Committee of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome (ECSI), 2019.
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Abstract
- In 2016, archaeological excavations undertaken by the Ephorate of Antiquities of West Attica, Piraeus and Islands 3.8 km south-west of Athens, Greece, revealed mass burials of 79 skeletons in three rows. The burials are dated to the 7th century BC. The anthropological field documentation was undertaken by The Swedish Institute of Athens, and followed established bioarchaeological protocols regarding taphonomic processes, age, sex, injuries, and pathological changes. The descriptions and interpretations should be regarded as preliminary field observations. A majority of the individuals were young adult or juvenile males, most of them without signs of active disease and with a generally good oral health status, but with corroded iron shackles around their wrists. Cause of death could not be determined although extensive and likely perimortem fractures were observed. The only object related to injury and/or possible cause of death was an arrowhead found in the chest of one of the skeletons. Why and where the individuals were killed is a matter of conjecture; the observations from the field documentation neither validate, nor disprove the hypothesis that these individuals were captives and victims of the so-called “Cylonian conspiracy” in the 7th century BC.
- Subjects :
- Archeology
History
Taphonomy
060102 archaeology
Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Osteology
Arrowhead
06 humanities and the arts
Ancient history
Oral health
Field analysis
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Active disease
0601 history and archaeology
030216 legal & forensic medicine
Classics
Cause of death
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 20000898
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Opuscula. Annual of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........fa0ff8d5bf82522d78e873f12dca04c9
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.30549/opathrom-12-02