Posted on 02/14/2025 4:57:37 AM PST by bert
The nearly complete skeleton, with severed feet and a pugio on the back, leaves the cause of death and burial a "real mystery."
Archaeologists excavating a 4,900-year-old fortress in Almendralejo, southwestern Spain, have uncovered the burial of a man who may have been a Roman soldier. The solitary, shallow grave was discovered near one of the defensive ditches of the ancient fortress and contained the remains of a man between 25 and 35 years old, laid face down with a pugio—a Roman dagger—on his back.
The dagger was found completely intact and still in its sheath. It has been dated to the late first century BCE, providing a chronological marker for the burial.
"The deliberate placement of the pugio in the burial is a way of signaling the social position of the buried and his belonging to the army," explained César M. Pérez, director of the excavations. This unusual practice suggests that the soldier was given a dishonorable burial, a rare occurrence for this period, hinting at a story yet to be revealed.
The skeleton was almost complete except for the feet, which appeared to have been cut off. The cause of death, the unusual face-down burial with severed feet, and the placement of the pugio on the individual's back remain "a real mystery," as the archaeologists described.
At first, archaeologists debated whether the skeletal remains belonged to a soldier or a civilian who had acquired the dagger. If confirmed to be a soldier, "he could only have belonged to Legio VII Gemina," the only Roman legion stationed in Hispania at the time.
Established in 74 CE, Legio VII Gemina was quartered in Legio (modern-day León) in the territory of the Asturians and had little direct military activity. Unlike other legions engaged in direct military campaigns, Legio VII Gemina primarily carried out escort duties, road surveillance, and provincial security. This context adds to the enigma surrounding the soldier's death and unusual burial.
Researchers are attempting to extract DNA from one of the individual's teeth. This analysis may provide further insights into his origin and the circumstances surrounding his death.
The burial site is part of a larger archaeological discovery—a pentagonal fortress constructed during the Copper Age. Archaeologists discovered the 4,900-year-old fortress on a hill in southwestern Spain. The fortress is the first built on a hilltop rising 314 meters above sea level, allowing visibility of the entire surroundings.
The fortress was pentagonal in shape and surrounded by three concentric walls, 25 bastions, and three ditches measuring up to four meters wide and two meters deep.
"The complex system of walls and ditches, built from both stone and earth, demonstrates careful planning that required the coordination of a large group of people," said archaeologist Pérez, highlighting the sophistication of the fortress's design.
Inside the structure, archaeologists found numerous artifacts, including arrowheads, idols, axes, grinding stones, plates, bowls, and loom components, providing insight into the activities that took place there. Traces of a water reservoir for storage and cabins were also found within the fortress, indicating provisions for the population during times of siege.
Despite its formidable defenses, the fortress was ultimately destroyed, burned, and razed by enemies, then abandoned 400 years after its construction. Archaeologists found evidence of a widespread fire that affected key areas of the settlement. One of the strongest indicators that the fire was deliberate is the burning of wooden doors embedded in the mudbrick walls.
These doors were far from any flammable materials, indicating that the fire was not accidental but a result of an attack on the fortress. Among the remains of the fire, numerous arrowheads have been found, suggesting a scene of violence and destruction where the settlement was attacked, its defenses breached, and the structure set on fire.
The defensive complex was discovered during preliminary surveys for a photovoltaic solar park planned by the Spanish energy company Acciona Energía on the estate of the Marquis of the Encomienda. Following this discovery, all protocols for the prevention of archaeological impact, protection, and investigation of the site were put in place, financed by Acciona Energía.
"The archaeological research team at Tera S.L. uncovered this site in 2021 and continues to excavate it." In the area of the old Cortijo Lobato, after which the archaeological site is named, researchers identified Chalcolithic-era materials concentrated in an olive grove, which alerted the archaeological team.
The fortress offered a commanding view of the surrounding landscape, but the specifics of its strategic importance are still unknown.
The recovered pugio has since undergone laboratory treatment under the guidance of restoration specialist Maicu Ortega from Madrid Complutense University for its analysis, consolidation, and partial stabilization to guarantee its preservation and prevent deterioration.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq
The author is shown to be "Staff" but the footnote discloses it is AI generated
Deserter, recaptured, feet cut off so he can’t run away ever.....................
pING
Maybe this is the guy that invented it.
Wasn’t me.
No, it was Covid. He got the jab too late.
What does “ce” mean?
If the dagger was in its sheath and the dagger was in his back, were there two daggers?
For us gray hairs, it means AD.
If it was constructed in A.D. 74 and abandoned 400 years later, the enemies responsible for its destruction were probably Germans (Vandals, Suevi or Visigoths).
Thank you.
On his back.
“Common Era”. Just substitute “A.D.” and you’re good.
Visigoths: Goths who had a superior optometry plan. The goths just had dental.
lol
They probably could have used accidental death and dismemberment insurance as well.
Poor guy suffered the agony of defeat.
“Per encourager les autres,” 1700 years earlier.
I agree. Punished as a coward or a deserter.
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