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Skeleton with 167 fractures discovered at Scottish castle may have been first victim of Edward I's 'War Wolf' trebuchet
Live Science • • world
Key Points:
- Researchers have identified a 14th-century skeleton, dubbed Skeleton 150, found in Stirling Castle, Scotland, as possibly the oldest known victim of death by a trebuchet, a medieval siege engine.
- The skeleton, dating to around 1300 during the First War of Scottish Independence, exhibited 167 fractures, including 61 skull fractures and 57 rib fractures, with a distinctive zigzag pattern indicative of a high-velocity impact.
- Historical records note that King Edward I of England used multiple siege engines, including the massive "War Wolf" trebuchet, during his 1304 siege of Stirling Castle, making it likely that such a weapon caused the young man's fatal injuries.
- Analysis suggests the man was standing with his back turned when struck, resulting in an instantaneous death, and modern scanning techniques confirmed the fractures occurred perimortem rather than postmortem damage.
- The discovery sheds new light on medieval warfare injuries and highlights the potential for further insights from archaeological remains when advanced forensic methods are applied.
