Signs of interpersonal violence and war: paleotraumatology in Apulia during the Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages

This paper analyses the skeletal remains with signs of violence coming from some archaeological sites located in Apulia (Southern Italy) and dated between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. The research is based on historical, archaeological, anthropological and paleopathological sources and aims to determine the nature of the detected injuries. The careful recording and statistical analysis have enabled the observation of their distribution on the bones, hypothesize the weapons used, as well as reconstruct how injuries were inflicted and pinpoint any elements and cultural influences. In particular, a data registration model has been developed; if accepted by the scientific community, it would allow a homogeneous recording and database, useful for the study of traumas in different geographical and chronological contexts. The findings have been interpreted based on the historical events of the region and they represent the first extensive database for the study of paleotraumatology in Apulia in this historical period.