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Medieval Scottish Man May Be First Confirmed Case of Death by Trebuchet
Archaeology Magazine • • world
Key Points:
- Archaeologists have identified the first documented victim of a trebuchet attack from a 1304 siege at Scotland’s Stirling Castle, as presented by University of Bradford archaeologist Jo Buckberry.
- The victim, a man in his 20s, was found with over 160 fractures on his skull, ribs, vertebrae, and arms, indicating catastrophic blunt-force trauma.
- Analysis suggests he was struck from behind by a high-velocity projectile, consistent with being hit by a missile launched from a trebuchet, likely the War Wolf used by English King Edward I during the siege.
- This discovery provides rare physical evidence of the deadly impact of medieval siege engines on individuals during warfare.
