Experts reveal 'ancient massacre'


The Neolithic bones were discovered at Wayland's Smithy, Oxfordshire


Bones found at a prehistoric burial site indicate they belonged to victims of an ancient massacre, say scientists.

Remains of 14 people were discovered at Wayland's Smithy, near Uffington White Horse, Oxfordshire, in the 1960s.

Latest techniques date the bones at between 3590 BC and 3560 BC, and have led experts to believe the people may have died in a Neolithic Age massacre.

English Heritage carried out the work with the help of Cardiff University and the University of Central Lancashire.

Flint arrowhead

Michael Wysocki of the University of Central Lancashire says the findings suggest the Neolithic Age was more violent than previously thought.


The Uffington White Horse

The victims - three of them probably killed by arrows - could have died in a rush for land or livestock, he added.

He said: "We know one person was shot through the lower abdomen because we have found the tiny tip of a flint arrowhead embedded in their pelvic bone.

"We also know that the bodies of two people were scavenged and partially dismembered by dogs or wolves before their remains were buried in the monument.

"All this new evidence suggests that the period between 3625 BC and 3590 BC may have been one of increasing social tension and upheaval."

Revealing comparisons

The research also indicates that the use of Neolithic long barrows was short-lived - and did not take place over hundreds of years as previously thought.

English Heritage radiocarbon dating expert Alex Bayliss said: "With this research, we can now think about the Neolithic period in terms of individuals and communities and make useful and revealing comparisons between their choices and behaviour in the remote past.

"This dating programme demands a revolution in our thinking about prehistory and not just that of early Neolithic burial monuments in southern Britain."

news.bbc.co.uk

"Michael Wysocki of the University of Central Lancashire says the findings suggest the Neolithic Age was more violent than previously thought."

As it is well known for its peace and harmony?!

--Jaylemurph

The remains of 14 people would qualify as a massacre?

If you were one of the fourteen, I bet it would!

--Jaylemurph

I certainly would not have considered it a massacre if I had been part of that fourteen. And besides, if only fourteen deaths counts as a massacre, then what about more deaths? What would you categorize 100 deaths as? Or even 1000 deaths? And it says that they were burried; if they were truly masacred, would that have happened?

They'd be left to be eat by wolves and dogs like the article says . Pretty stuff

They would categorize more deaths as a bigger massacre.

I guess scientists feel they must voice their opinion, but they really don't know. Any number of things could have taken place.

I think you need to put it into perspective. If the village was a small one of maybe 50 people, yes, it was a massacre. Back then communities were quite a bit smaller than what we are used to.

Ya, I think you could call 14 people a massacre. Today, the term massacre is frequently used in reference to gangland style murders. The Saint Valentine's Day massacre comes to mind and that was 6 people.