Excavation of a medieval cemetery in Spain It revealed what appeared to be the remains of an adult man with unusual characteristics. After analyzing the bones, archaeologists discovered that in addition to the fact that the warrior may have died in battle, he had CraniosynostosisIt is a condition in which premature fusion of the sutures of the skull leads to developmental problems in the skull and brain.
The study was published in the scientific journal legacy In October, he described the skeletons of soldiers found near the castle of Zurita de los Cañes, in central Spain. The skeleton dates back to between the 13th and 15th centuries, and caught the attention of researchers with an unusually long and narrow head.
He was buried in a wooden coffin It was already deteriorated at the time of excavations (between 2014 and 2019), and many of its bones did not survive over the centuries.
His skull, which had features suggesting two stab wounds to the head, was recovered and analyzed by scientists from various Spanish research institutions.
Karmi Rešić, an anthropologist and lead author of the study, said in an interview with Live sciences He had never seen a skull like this before, “and least of all the skull of a knight.” According to the article, the castle was inhabited during part of the Middle Ages before Calatrava Medala group of monks and soldiers founded to fight the Moors during the Reconquista.
A detailed analysis of the skeleton revealed that the man He was between 45 and 49 years old. At the time of his death he appeared to have the muscles of an active person. However, what was most interesting about the remains was that the three sutures in his skull showed signs of closing prematurely, causing his head to become misshapen.
At birth, the skull bones are not fully connected. They are held in place by fibrous joints called sutures and do not fuse until adulthood, around age 20.
Fusion of sutures before this age, known as craniosynostosis, can lead to serious brain damage. Currently, there are surgical procedures that help relieve the pressure generated in the head, but this was not an option for the medieval soldier.
Although it can be caused by conditions of pregnancy, many cases of craniosynostosis arise from genetic mutations. One of those mentioned by researchers is Crouzon syndrome. The disease includes other deformities in the skull area, such as wide-set and closed eyes, a small jaw, and hearing loss.
The fact that only the medieval soldier’s skull showed changes leads researchers to believe that he could have suffered from Crouzon syndrome. However, additional genetic analyzes are needed to confirm the theory that the exhumed skeleton is an exceptional find.
“The majority of documented cases, especially in the Middle Ages, are of children,” the archaeologists stated in the study. “The survival of these individuals into adulthood without surgical intervention is particularly notable, given the potential complications.”