The skulls date back to the Bronze Age, researchers say all of them came from children

Jul 10, 2014 20:59 GMT  ·  By
Archaeologists believe people in the Bronze Age used skulls to keep their villages safe from flooding
   Archaeologists believe people in the Bronze Age used skulls to keep their villages safe from flooding

Some time ago, in the 1920s, archaeologists carrying out excavations in Switzerland and Germany came across the remains of several villages estimated to date back to the Bronze Age. Specifically, researchers say these villages were inhabited between 3,800 and 2,600 years ago.

Investigations carried out over the years led to the discovery of many hunting tools at these archaeological sites in the proximity of Alpine lakes. As detailed by Live Science, animal bones, ceramics, and even jewelry were also unearthed.

Still, these artifacts failed to spark as much interest as several skulls found lying all around the Bronze Age villages did. More so since, according to evidence at hand, all of these skulls came from children, and some even showed signs of injury.

Thus, archaeologist Benjamin Jennings with Basel University in Switzerland explains that, of the children skulls that were found encircling the Bronze Age villages found close to Alpine lakes back in the 1920s, some displayed signs consistent with ax blows and other severe trauma.

In a recent paper, specialist Benjamin Jennings and fellow researchers argue that, all things considered, it is unlikely that somebody purposely killed these children. However, evidence indicates that, once they were dead, the kids' skulls were offered as gifts to local lake gods.

In their paper, the researchers explain that, all throughout the Bronze Age, people who lived in villages located in the proximity of Alpine lakes risked having their lives turned topsy-turvy by floods. Hence, the majority of the communities in the region were encircled by palisades.

It was at the edge of these palisades, i.e. fences of wooden stakes that surrounded the homes that made up the Bronze Age villages, that the children skulls, together with other skeletal remains, were discovered. Hence, it is believed the remains were placed there as a means to appease the gods.

In support of their theory, Benjamin Jennings and his colleagues explain that, having studied these human remains and their distribution, they found that the skulls and the bones were placed at the edge of the palisades during times of high flood risk, and that they were first buried in some other location.

By the looks of it, the children whose skulls were later offered as gifts to lake gods in present-day Switzerland and Germany were about 10 years old at the time they died. The children are believed to have lost their lives either by accident, or in warfare.