Headhunting and the Body in Iron Age Europe

Armit, Ian

doi:10.1017/cbo9781139016971

Cited by 71 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 124 publications

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“…This very precise picture of this practice is known through two fragments of ancient texts, written in the 1st century BC respectively by Strabo and by Diodorus of Sicily, both recording the testimony of an ancient Greek, named Poseidonios, who travelled in the south of Gaul around 100 BC (Strabo, IV, 4, 5 in Lasserre, 1966). Other classical texts mention this practice, such as Polybius and Livy and much of the archaeological record corroborates with the descriptions of this practice (Ciesielski et al, 2011;Armit, 2012;Boulestin and Henry Gambier, 2012). The Iron Age settlement of Entremont in Provence, which was one of the first archaeological excavations in south of France, revealed much sculpting of decapitated heads, with one particular sculpture representing a warrior mounted on a horse, with a sword and a spear at their side, and a severed head suspended from the horse's neck (Arcelin, 2011), just as testified by Classical textual sources.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Embalmed heads of the Celtic Iron Age in the south of France

Ghezal

Ciesielski

Girard

et al. 2019

Journal of Archaeological Science

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Ancient texts described that one of the most impressive ritual practices of the Celts during the Iron Age was to remove the heads of enemies killed in battle and to embalm them for display in front of the victors dwellings. An archaeological settlement excavation site in Le Cailar, in southern France, has revealed a considerable number of examples of this practice. It was documented by Classical authors and later by the archaeological recording of iconographic representations and skeletal remains of human heads. Weapons were also exhibited alongside the severed heads. Here we report the results of chemical investigations for the characterization of the biomarkers of embalming that are likely to be present in eleven fragments of these human cranial remains. These results may lead to answers to some of the archaeometric questions related to the subject of embalming in 3rd century BC Transalpine Gaul, thus advancing the knowledge of these ritual practices, documented by Greek Classical authors as part of the wider research into the proto-historic societies of the Mediterranean coastal region.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Embalmed heads of the Celtic Iron Age in the south of France

Ghezal

Ciesielski

Girard

et al. 2019

Journal of Archaeological Science

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“…Incluso podían emprenderse acciones específicas para ello, como las expediciones de los denominados "cazadores de cabezas" del sudeste asiático. Las cabezas conseguidas en este último contexto adquirían la categoría de trofeo y quienes las atesoraban en la antigüedad, a menudo creían estar apropiándose también de la energía vital de las víctimas (Sterckx 2005;Dedet 2011;Armit 2012;Gracia 2015).…”

Section: Conclusionesunclassified

Las “cabezas cortadas” del poblado ibérico del Puig Castellar (Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona). Datos para una reinterpretación

Galdàcano

Hortalà

2019

Trab. prehist.

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Este es un artículo de acceso abierto distribuido bajo los términos de la licencia de uso y distribución "Creative Commons Reconocimiento 4.0 Internacional" (CC BY 4.0) RESUMENEn 1904 se realizaron los primeros hallazgos de "cabezas cortadas" en el oppidum ibérico de El Puig Castellar de Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona) y se interpretaron como trofeos bélicos, sin embargo, solo una mínima parte de los mismos había sido dada a conocer sucintamente hasta ahora. Este estudio presenta los resultados del estudio antropológico basado en su descripción, determinación de edad y sexo, estudio patológico y de marcas. Los resultados amplían el número de individuos inicial de 5 a 12. Se trata de dos cráneos enclavados, tres con signos de desollamiento y diversos fragmentos craneales y mandibulares con evidencias de lesiones por arma blanca. Finalmente se valora el tratamiento que sufrieron dichos cráneos para su exhibición aportando nuevos resultados significativos que contribuyen a caracterizar, desde el punto de vista físico, a las tan desconocidas poblaciones iberas, además se cuestiona la teoría que asigna las "cabezas cortadas" exclusivamente a guerreros vencidos en batalla sobre la base de episodios del ámbito céltico descritos por las fuentes escritas grecolatinas (Posidonio de Apamea). ABSTRACTThe severed heads first discovered in 1904 in the Iberian oppidum of El Puig Castellar, in Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona), were assumed to be trophies of war, but until now only a few of them received brief publication. This paper presents the results of an anthropological study based on their description, determination of age and sex, signs of pathology, and cut marks. These results serve to raise the number of individuals from the initial count of five to twelve. The find consists of two nailed skulls, three with signs of skinning, and several skull and jaw fragments with signs of stab wounds. Finally, an appraisal is made of how the skulls were prepared for display. Significant new results are presented that help define the physical characteristic of the hitherto little known Iberian population. Objections are made to the theory , based on episodes in the Celtic domain described in Greek and Latin written sources (e.g., Posidonius of Apamea), that the severed heads belonged exclusively to warriors defeated in battle.

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“…, 10). The significance of these disarticulated remains is debated, but it is broadly agreed that their deposition was not casual, but formed part of a broader cosmological and ritual worldview (Redfern ; Armit ; Tracey ; Booth and Madgwick ).…”

Section: The Broader Context Of Seated Burialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seated Burials of the La Tène Iron Age

Lamb

2018

Oxford J Archaeology

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This paper examines the evidence available for a distinct form of burial in Iron Age Europe, of which an increasing number of examples are known: seated inhumations. These inhumations have long been recognized on the continent; however, recent excavations, revealing specific details surrounding individual burials, have enriched our understanding of them. Moreover, new discoveries, combined with a review of the published literature, suggest that the rite was also practised in Britain. This paper highlights the particular characteristics observed in such burials, explores their possible social role, and considers how such burials may fit into the ever-expanding mortuary dataset for the pre-Roman La Tène period (c.500-20 BC / AD 43).

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Headhunting and the Body in Iron Age Europe

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Cited by 71 publications

References 124 publications

Embalmed heads of the Celtic Iron Age in the south of France

Embalmed heads of the Celtic Iron Age in the south of France

Las “cabezas cortadas” del poblado ibérico del Puig Castellar (Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona). Datos para una reinterpretación

Seated Burials of the La Tène Iron Age

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