Severed Skulls with Nails in Iron Age Spain Suggest Complex Ritual Practices

Prehistoric skulls with giant iron nails pushed by means of them have been examined, revealing variations in the ritual practices of Iron Age Spain. These severed heads had been used for various functions, both to honour ancestors inside a group or to intimidate enemies. The findings, based mostly on isotope evaluation, recommend that a few of these people had been native whereas others originated from distant areas. The examine offers new insights into how these skulls had been chosen and displayed, indicating that the apply was extra complicated than beforehand believed.

Origins of the Severed Skulls

According to the examine revealed in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, researchers examined seven skulls from two websites on the Iberian Peninsula’s southeastern coast. Strontium isotope evaluation was utilized to find out the geographical origins of those people. This approach measures strontium absorbed throughout an individual’s progress, which corresponds with the area’s environmental traits.

Ruben de la Fuente-Seoane, archaeologist on the Autonomous University of Barcelona and lead creator of the examine, mentioned in an official press launch from the University, that the evaluation confirmed differing outcomes at every web site. At Puig Castellar, three out of 4 skulls had been from nonlocal people, whereas at Ullastret, solely considered one of three skulls originated from exterior the group. These findings point out that the ritual might have served distinct functions at totally different areas.

Placement of Skulls Indicates Purpose

As reported, the situation of the skulls at every web site suggests their supposed operate. At Puig Castellar, the nonlocal skulls had been positioned close to outer partitions, suggesting they had been displayed as a warning or image of dominance over outsiders. In distinction, at Ullastret, the native skulls had been discovered inside dwellings, hinting at their use in honouring important members of the group.

Historical information from Greek and Roman authors point out related practices, together with the preservation of severed heads by Gauls and Iberian mercenaries carrying impaled enemy heads. While the examine highlights distinctions in how these skulls had been used, researchers stress that additional evaluation is required to totally perceive the complexities of the ritual.