Traumatic Pathology and Violence Between the 7th and 11th Centuries in the Hermitic Necropolis of Las Gobas (Laño, Treviño, Burgos)

Abstract

We present here an osteoarchaeological study of the human remains exhumed from the necropolis of Las Gobas (Burgos, Spain), a hermitic community settled in a distant valley under the protection of a large rocky outcrop, where these persons dug out their churches and dwelling places. The necropolis corresponds to a chronology extending from the 7th to the 11th centuries, and it consisted of graves excavated in the rock, simple pits, and a sarcophagus-like burial, with a total of 42 individuals from both sexes and from different age groups. The steep, stony physical environment could explain the high frequency of fractures in the limb bones, possibly related to accidental falls or blows. However, perimortem and antemortem lesions caused by sharp-edged weapons indicate the presence of episodes of interpersonal or intergroup violence in this Christian hermitic settlement.