A Treated Skull Injury from the Unetice culture. On a Sepulchral Find from Holubice (okr. Praha-zapad/CZ)
Abstract
Subject of the study is a unique Unetice grave uncovered at Holubice. The remains of a male adult human laid on his right side with strongly bent lower limbs were put into an unusually sizable gravel pit.
Considering the conservation status, the position of the upper limbs remains unclear. Marks of extensive slash trauma which had led to its perforation are visible on the preserved part of the skull.
The nature of the injury shows that the cut had been surgically treated and loose bone fragments had been removed. Moreover, the injury had not been fatal as he lived long after the lesion.
The remains were likely put into a treetrunk coffin. For his last journey, the individual was equipped with a slate abrader and bronze winged axe with less distinctive wings, which is rather common within the Unetice material culture.
Part of the grave goods is also a unique bronze dagger with guard. Using radiocarbon method, the complete find complex was dated back between the years 1981 and 1772 BC.
The presented grave is exceptional not only for its unusual and quite precisely dated grave goods, but especially for the evidence of considerable medical knowledge carried by people of the Unetice culture.