Scythians in Azerbaijan: the history of one murder (archaeology and anthropology)

The article presents craniological materials of the Early Iron Age (VII–IV centuries BC) from Mingachevir. The study examined the skull of a female (2488) aged 20–30 years with evidence of traumatic injury. Caucasoid, mesocranial, originating from the burial with the skeleton in extended position (N...

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Main Author: Kirichenko Dmitry A.
Format: Article
Language:Russian
Published: Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan, A.Kh. Khalikov Archaeology Institute 2024-12-01
Series:Поволжская археология
Subjects:
Online Access:http://archaeologie.pro/en/archive/50/963/
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author Kirichenko Dmitry A.
author_facet Kirichenko Dmitry A.
author_sort Kirichenko Dmitry A.
collection DOAJ
description The article presents craniological materials of the Early Iron Age (VII–IV centuries BC) from Mingachevir. The study examined the skull of a female (2488) aged 20–30 years with evidence of traumatic injury. Caucasoid, mesocranial, originating from the burial with the skeleton in extended position (No. 137), which correlates with the presence of the Scythians on the territory of our republic. The depressed compression fracture, 0.9 cm in diameter, from which cracks radiate, was marked on the left part of upper section of the frontal bone of the woman’s skull. There are no signs of healing or inflammation. The crime weapon was a hard, blunt object, that broke and pressed the bone, after which a round-shaped dent was formed, and cracks appeared from it, which indicates the significant force of the blow, which led to the death of the woman. We can observe the so-called perimortem trauma - injury got at or near the moment of death. The blow was struck, presumably, from the right and from above; the victim was below the killer, who could be on horseback, and at a distance from the deceased. The case from Mingachevir is currently the only anthropological find of this kind - a fatal compression fracture of the cranial vault from the territory of Azerbaijan during the Early Iron Age.
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publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan, A.Kh. Khalikov Archaeology Institute
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spelling doaj-art-a38f2e6046ca454e8c9234dc0c7da1712025-01-13T16:03:47ZrusAcademy of Sciences of Tatarstan, A.Kh. Khalikov Archaeology InstituteПоволжская археология2306-40992500-28562024-12-01504 243010.24852/pa2024.4.50.24.30Scythians in Azerbaijan: the history of one murder (archaeology and anthropology)Kirichenko Dmitry A. 0 Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan, Huseyn Javid Avenue,115, Baku, AZ1143, Azerbaijan RepublicThe article presents craniological materials of the Early Iron Age (VII–IV centuries BC) from Mingachevir. The study examined the skull of a female (2488) aged 20–30 years with evidence of traumatic injury. Caucasoid, mesocranial, originating from the burial with the skeleton in extended position (No. 137), which correlates with the presence of the Scythians on the territory of our republic. The depressed compression fracture, 0.9 cm in diameter, from which cracks radiate, was marked on the left part of upper section of the frontal bone of the woman’s skull. There are no signs of healing or inflammation. The crime weapon was a hard, blunt object, that broke and pressed the bone, after which a round-shaped dent was formed, and cracks appeared from it, which indicates the significant force of the blow, which led to the death of the woman. We can observe the so-called perimortem trauma - injury got at or near the moment of death. The blow was struck, presumably, from the right and from above; the victim was below the killer, who could be on horseback, and at a distance from the deceased. The case from Mingachevir is currently the only anthropological find of this kind - a fatal compression fracture of the cranial vault from the territory of Azerbaijan during the Early Iron Age.http://archaeologie.pro/en/archive/50/963/archaeologyazerbaijananthropologycraniometryscythiansmilitarytraumas
spellingShingle Kirichenko Dmitry A.
Scythians in Azerbaijan: the history of one murder (archaeology and anthropology)
Поволжская археология
archaeology
azerbaijan
anthropology
craniometry
scythians
military
traumas
title Scythians in Azerbaijan: the history of one murder (archaeology and anthropology)
title_full Scythians in Azerbaijan: the history of one murder (archaeology and anthropology)
title_fullStr Scythians in Azerbaijan: the history of one murder (archaeology and anthropology)
title_full_unstemmed Scythians in Azerbaijan: the history of one murder (archaeology and anthropology)
title_short Scythians in Azerbaijan: the history of one murder (archaeology and anthropology)
title_sort scythians in azerbaijan the history of one murder archaeology and anthropology
topic archaeology
azerbaijan
anthropology
craniometry
scythians
military
traumas
url http://archaeologie.pro/en/archive/50/963/
work_keys_str_mv AT kirichenkodmitrya scythiansinazerbaijanthehistoryofonemurderarchaeologyandanthropology