7 nailed skulls from Iron Age reveal bizarre funerary display in ancient Spain
A Spanish study has examined the mobility patterns of individuals whose heads were severed and then nailed during the Iron Age within the context of Iberian culture.
Analysis was conducted on seven skulls, each showing evidence of nail insertion, recovered from the Ullastret and Puig Castellar locations.
The practice of severing heads for funerary rituals was unique to the Iberian people, and because of the scarcity of physical evidence, these skulls provided researchers with “an exceptional opportunity to analyze” this specific ritual.
Researchers believe the Iberians publicly displayed the bodies, with the skulls still attached, after death, prompting them to investigate the ritual’s significance.
From these two important Iron Age burial sites, researchers recovered skulls with nails still embedded. Their goal was to understand the purpose of this practice.
Enemies or loved ones? It’s one or the other
A collaborative team from the Museum of Archaeology of Catalonia (MAC), the Museum Torre Balldovina, and the universities of Lleida, Bordeaux, and Tübingen published their findings in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
The genetic composition of the seven skulls differed between the two sites. Ullastret contained a mixture of local and non-local individuals, whereas Puig Castellar predominantly featured individuals from outside the local area.
The study used a range of bioarchaeological methods, including anthropological, isotopic, and archeozoological data, to determine the identity of these individuals.
The study authors stated that their work provides “new data to better understand how interactions between human communities linked to the territory of northwestern Iberia,” a region marked by strong local territorial boundaries, were “articulated.” They used the term “severed heads” because not all documented cases involved nailing.
Previous studies suggested the skulls from Ullastret might have been treated with cedar oil, but this study found no evidence of it. However, they did find signs that the skulls were prepared before being displayed, indicating a regular and methodical practice.
The selection process was more complex than they thought
Overall, the researchers found it difficult to determine whether these individuals were “external enemies, subjects of internal repression, or venerated ancestors.”
The individuals from Puig Castellar were found at the settlement’s front gate, although it is unclear whether they were nailed to the wall or elsewhere in the entrance. But it is clear that they were not randomly selected.
While all were male, they did not share a uniform profile, suggesting different meanings for each group. The study authors concluded that the selection process for these Iron Age individuals was more complex than previously thought.
Source: Interesting Engineering
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7 nailed skulls from Iron Age reveal bizarre funerary display in ancient Spain