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Colleter R, Bataille CP, Dabernat H, Pichot D, Hamon P, Duchesne S, Labaune-Jean F, Jean S, Le Cloirec G, Milano S, Trost M, Steinbrenner S, Marchal M, Guilbeau-Frugier C, Telmon N, Crubézy É, Jaouen K. The last battle of Anne of Brittany: Solving mass grave through an interdisciplinary approach (paleopathology, biological anthropology, history, multiple isotopes and radiocarbon dating). PLoS One 2021; 16:e0248086. [PMID: 33951047 PMCID: PMC8099129 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0248086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass graves are usually key historical markers with strong incentive for archeological investigations. The identification of individuals buried in mass graves has long benefitted from traditional historical, archaeological, anthropological and paleopathological techniques. The addition of novel methods including genetic, genomic and isotopic geochemistry have renewed interest in solving unidentified mass graves. In this study, we demonstrate that the combined use of these techniques allows the identification of the individuals found in two Breton historical mass graves, where one method alone would not have revealed the importance of this discovery. The skeletons likely belong to soldiers from the two enemy armies who fought during a major event of Breton history: the siege of Rennes in 1491, which ended by the wedding of the Duchess of Brittany with the King of France and signaled the end of the independence of the region. Our study highlights the value of interdisciplinary approaches with a particular emphasis on increasingly accurate isotopic markers. The development of the sulfur isoscape and testing of the triple isotope geographic assignment are detailed in a companion paper [13].
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Affiliation(s)
- Rozenn Colleter
- INRAP (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives), Cesson-Sévigné, France
- CNRS, CAGT, UMR 5288, Université Paul Sabatier, 31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Clément P. Bataille
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
| | - Henri Dabernat
- CNRS, CAGT, UMR 5288, Université Paul Sabatier, 31000, Toulouse, France
| | | | | | - Sylvie Duchesne
- INRAP (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives), Cesson-Sévigné, France
- CNRS, CAGT, UMR 5288, Université Paul Sabatier, 31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Françoise Labaune-Jean
- INRAP (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives), Cesson-Sévigné, France
- CNRS, CReAAH, UMR 6566, Rennes, France
| | - Stéphane Jean
- INRAP (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives), Cesson-Sévigné, France
| | - Gaétan Le Cloirec
- INRAP (Institut National de Recherches Archéologiques Préventives), Cesson-Sévigné, France
- CNRS, CReAAH, UMR 6566, Rennes, France
| | - Stefania Milano
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Evolution, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Manuel Trost
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Evolution, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sven Steinbrenner
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Evolution, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marine Marchal
- CNRS, CAGT, UMR 5288, Université Paul Sabatier, 31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Céline Guilbeau-Frugier
- I2MC, Université de Toulouse, INSERM U1048, 31432, Toulouse, France
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- Faculté de Médecine Rangueil, CMEAB, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Norbert Telmon
- CNRS, CAGT, UMR 5288, Université Paul Sabatier, 31000, Toulouse, France
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Éric Crubézy
- CNRS, CAGT, UMR 5288, Université Paul Sabatier, 31000, Toulouse, France
| | - Klervia Jaouen
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Evolution, Leipzig, Germany
- CNRS, GET UMR 5563, Observatoire Midi Pyrénées, Toulouse, France
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Novak M, Olalde I, Ringbauer H, Rohland N, Ahern J, Balen J, Janković I, Potrebica H, Pinhasi R, Reich D. Genome-wide analysis of nearly all the victims of a 6200 year old massacre. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0247332. [PMID: 33690651 PMCID: PMC7946188 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Paleogenomic and bioanthropological studies of ancient massacres have highlighted sites where the victims were male and plausibly died all in battle, or were executed members of the same family as might be expected from a killing intentionally directed at subsets of a community, or where the massacred individuals were plausibly members of a migrant community in conflict with previously established groups, or where there was evidence that the killing was part of a religious ritual. Here we provide evidence of killing on a massive scale in prehistory that was not directed to a specific family, based on genome-wide ancient DNA for 38 of the 41 documented victims of a 6,200 year old massacre in Potočani, Croatia and combining our results with bioanthropological data. We highlight three results: (i) the majority of individuals were unrelated and instead were a sample of what was clearly a large farming population, (ii) the ancestry of the individuals was homogenous which makes it unlikely that the massacre was linked to the arrival of new genetic ancestry, and (iii) there were approximately equal numbers of males and females. Combined with the bioanthropological evidence that the victims were of a wide range of ages, these results show that large-scale indiscriminate killing is a horror that is not just a feature of the modern and historic periods, but was also a significant process in pre-state societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Novak
- Centre for Applied Bioanthropology, Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia
- * E-mail: (MN); (RP); (DR)
| | - Iñigo Olalde
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC - Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Harald Ringbauer
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Nadin Rohland
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - James Ahern
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
| | | | - Ivor Janković
- Centre for Applied Bioanthropology, Institute for Anthropological Research, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Hrvoje Potrebica
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ron Pinhasi
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MN); (RP); (DR)
| | - David Reich
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MN); (RP); (DR)
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Nicklisch N, Schierz O, Enzmann F, Knipper C, Held P, Vach W, Dresely V, Meller H, Friederich S, Alt KW. Dental pulp calcifications in prehistoric and historical skeletal remains. Ann Anat 2021; 235:151675. [PMID: 33515689 DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2021.151675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of hard tissue formations in the dental pulp varies considerably. Beside ageing processes and irritations of the dental pulp, etiological associations with cardiovascular disease and dietary habits have been discussed, which are of particular research interest. The aim of this pilot study is to provide new insights on structural and etiological factors involved in the development of pulp calcifications by investigating skeletal remains from different (pre)historic periods. METHODS The jaws of 46 skeletons excavated in central Germany, were examined for the presence of pulp stones using digital volume tomography (DVT). A total of 1122 teeth were examined with all tooth types considered. To obtain information about the three-dimensional structure of pulp calcifications, micro-CT images were taken. Thin sections of three molars were histologically analysed. Potential dietary effects were studied by analysing stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ15N) in bone samples collected from each individual. RESULTS The analysis indicates that pulp stones affect molars in particular and increase slightly with age and dental wear. The micro-CT scans and the histological analysis show that the structures are much more complex than presumed on the basis of DVT imaging. Individuals with lower δ15N-isotope values and thus with a potentially lower proportion of animal protein in their diet appear to be less affected by pulp stones. CONCLUSION When comparing between archaeological and recent data, DVT analysis provides qualitatively comparable results. Micro-CT and histological images illustrate the excellent preservation of pulp calcifications and their complex structure. Differences in prevalence rates and δ15N-isotope values of Neolithic and historical individuals support the assumption that dietary habits and living conditions could have an influence on the development of pulp calcifications. Due to the small sample size these results require further validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Nicklisch
- Danube Private University, Förthofstraße 2, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria.
| | - Oliver Schierz
- Department of Prosthetic Dentistry and Materials Science, Leipzig University, Liebigstr. 12, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Frieder Enzmann
- Institute of Geosciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 21, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
| | - Corina Knipper
- Curt Engelhorn Centre Archaeometry gGmbH, D6, 3, 68159 Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Petra Held
- Institute of Anthropology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany.
| | - Werner Vach
- Institute of Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Veit Dresely
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt - State Museum of Prehistory, Richard-Wagner-Str. 9, 06114 Halle [Saale], Germany.
| | - Harald Meller
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt - State Museum of Prehistory, Richard-Wagner-Str. 9, 06114 Halle [Saale], Germany.
| | - Susanne Friederich
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt - State Museum of Prehistory, Richard-Wagner-Str. 9, 06114 Halle [Saale], Germany.
| | - Kurt W Alt
- Danube Private University, Förthofstraße 2, 3500 Krems-Stein, Austria; Institute of Prehistory and Archaeological Science, University of Basel, Spalenring 145, 4055 Basel, Switzerland.
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Milella M, Caspari G, Kapinus Y, Sadykov T, Blochin J, Malyutina A, Keller M, Schlager S, Szidat S, Alterauge A, Lösch S. Troubles in Tuva: Patterns of perimortem trauma in a nomadic community from Southern Siberia (second to fourth c. CE). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:3-19. [PMID: 32935864 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Warfare is assumed to be one of the defining cultural characteristics of steppe nomads in Eastern Eurasia. For the first-centuries CE, a period of political turmoil in Northern China and Southern Siberia, relatively few data are, however, available about the degree and variability of violence in these communities. Here, we provide new data on violence among steppe nomads during the first-centuries CE by analyzing the type, anatomical distribution, and demographic distribution of perimortem trauma at Tunnug1 (Tuva, Southern Siberia-second to fourth c. CE). MATERIALS AND METHODS Perimortem traumas were assessed on 87 individuals representing both sexes and different age classes. The timing of the lesions was assessed based on morphological criteria, including the absence and presence of bone reactive processes and the relative plasticity of the bone at the moment of impact. The distribution by age, sex, and anatomical location of trauma was analyzed by means of logistic models, Fisher's exact tests, and 3D visualizations. RESULTS A total of 130 perimortem traumas, including chop marks, slice marks, penetrating lesions, and blunt traumas were identified on 22 individuals. Chop marks were mostly at the level of the skull and vertebrae and were likely caused by bladed weapons. Slice marks were found on the cervical vertebrae and cranium and may be the result of throat slitting and scalping by means of smaller bladed implements. Traumas were more frequent in males, and their presence is not correlated with age. DISCUSSION This study adds new data to the few available regarding violence among steppe nomadic cultures and provides new insights about the effects of political instability on the life of the people inhabiting Eastern Eurasia during the early centuries CE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gino Caspari
- Department of Archaeology, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Institute of Archaeological Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yulija Kapinus
- Volga-Ural Center for Paleoanthropological Research SSSPU, Samara, Russia
| | - Timur Sadykov
- Institute for the History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Jegor Blochin
- Institute for the History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Anna Malyutina
- Institute for the History of Material Culture, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Marcel Keller
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Stefan Schlager
- Biological Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sönke Szidat
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.,Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research (OCCR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Amelie Alterauge
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Lösch
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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Alterauge A, Meier T, Jungklaus B, Milella M, Lösch S. Between belief and fear - Reinterpreting prone burials during the Middle Ages and early modern period in German-speaking Europe. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238439. [PMID: 32866194 PMCID: PMC7458347 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Prone burials are among the most distinctive deviant burials during the Middle Ages and early modern period. Despite their worldwide distribution, the meaning of this burial practice is still a matter of debate. So far, a comprehensive analysis of prone burials is lacking for Central Europe. By compiling evidence from Germany, Switzerland and Austria, this study investigates how these findings fit into the scope of medieval funerary practices. 95 prone burials from 60 archaeological sites were analyzed regarding geographical distribution, dating, burial features, body position, age-at-death and sex. We applied descriptive statistics accompanied by multiple correspondence analysis in order to highlight possible multivariate patterns in the dataset. Prone burials occur in funerary and non-funerary contexts, with a predominance of single churchyard burials, followed by favored and exterior location and settlements. In terms of grave features, the majority of churchyard burials do not differ from regular graves. Multivariate patterns appear to reflect diachronic changes in normative burial practices. We found a significant correlation between burial location and dating, due to a higher frequency of high medieval males in favored locations. In these cases, prone position is interpreted as a sign of humility, while similar evidences from late and post-medieval times are seen as an expression of deviancy. Apparent lack of care during burial reveals disrespect and possible social exclusion, with inhumations outside consecrated ground being the ultimate punishment. In some regions, apotropaic practices suggest that corpses should be prevented from returning, as attested in contemporaneous sources and folk beliefs. We hypothesize that the increase of prone burials towards the late and post-medieval period is linked to such practices triggered by epidemic diseases. The multiplicity of meanings that prone position might have in different contexts demands for careful interpretations within the same regional and chronological frame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelie Alterauge
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute for Pre- and Protohistory and Near Eastern Archaeology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Meier
- Institute for Pre- and Protohistory and Near Eastern Archaeology, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Lösch
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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Tumler D, Paladin A, Zink A. Perimortem sharp force trauma in an individual from the early medieval cemetery of Säben-Sabiona in South Tyrol, Italy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2019; 27:46-55. [PMID: 31561174 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2019.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/21/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To provide a detailed analysis and interpretation of cranial and postcranial lesions noted on an early medieval skeleton from the Italian Alps. MATERIALS Individual (SK63) was buried within the early Christian church (5th-8th centuries AD) of Säben-Sabiona in South Tyrol (Italy). METHODS The skeleton underwent macroscopic, microscopic and metric analyses. RESULTS SK63 was a 19-25 year old male, the analysis identified at least 29 lesions, consisting of three possible antemortem injuries and 26 perimortem sharp force injuries on the cranium (n = 4) and postcranium (n = 22). CONCLUSIONS The trauma pattern observed indicates that different bladed weapons were used and interpersonal violence rather than a large-scale conflict led to the death of SK63. SIGNIFICANCE The present findings provide novel information on violent interpersonal interactions in early medieval Säben-Sabiona, Italy. LIMITATIONS The sequence of the inflicted injuries was not reconstructed. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Future interdisciplinary investigations (i.e., 3D imaging and reconstructions) will provide a better understanding of the possible types of weapons used to inflict injuries, the required forces to create the lesions, as well as the directions of impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Tumler
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; Faculty of Biology, Department of Biology II, Anthropology and Human Genomics, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Großhaderner Str. 2, 82152 Planegg- Martinsried, Germany
| | - Alice Paladin
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy; Institute for Archaeological Sciences, WG Palaeoanthropology, University of Tübingen, Rümelin Str. 23, 72070 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Albert Zink
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy.
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Boucherie A, S Jørkov ML, Smith M. Wounded to the bone: Digital microscopic analysis of traumas in a medieval mass grave assemblage (Sandbjerget, Denmark, AD 1300-1350). INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2017; 19:66-79. [PMID: 29198401 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Battle-related mass burials are considered the most unequivocal evidence of past violence. However, most published studies involve only macroscopic analysis of skeletal remains, commonly arriving only at broad conclusions regarding trauma interpretation. The current study considers a possible avenue for achieving both greater detail and accuracy through digital microscopy. Patterns of injury were investigated among 45 individuals from a Medieval Danish mass grave (Sandbjerget, AD 1300-1350). Injuries were recorded on every anatomical element, except hand and foot bones. Each was photographed and cast, facilitating remote evaluations. Macroscopic analysis was compared with digital microscopy in order to test the relative utility of the latter in characterizing skeletal injuries (mechanism, weapon class, direction, timing of injury). The location of 201 observed injuries, mainly sharp force defects, suggested that many lesions were probably not inflicted by face-to-face opponents. Some microscopic features were indicative of a specific lesion type and weapon class. Digital microscopy was therefore demonstrated to be a complementary tool to macroscopic assessment, enhancing feature observation and quantification and serving to compensate for many of the limitations of macroscopic assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Boucherie
- Centre de Recherche en Archéologie et Patrimoine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F. Roosevelt 50, 1050, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB, UK.
| | - Marie Louise S Jørkov
- Laboratory of Biological Anthropology, Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Frederik V's Vej 11, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Smith
- Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Forensic Science, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB, UK
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