title: Differentialdiagnose von Frakturen am Beispiel des frühbronzezeitlichen Gräberfeldes Franzhausen I
Creators: name: Keller, Christine
Publisher: name: :none
Year: 2013

description: Das Gräberfeld Franzhausen I, Niederösterreich zählt mit 719 Gräbern zu den größten frühbronzezeitlichen Friedhöfen in Europa. Kennzeichnend sind teilweise umfangreiche post-depositionale Grabmanipulationen, die bei 89% der Gräber dokumentiert sind. Dieses Phänomen tritt auch in anderen frühbronzezeitlichen Nekropolen Niederösterreichs (Gemeinlebarn A und F) sowie Gräberfeldern des mittleren Donaubereiches auf. Solche Grabstörungen werden unterschiedlich interpretiert: Neben dem Motiv einer „materiellen Bereicherung“ (Grabraub) rückte in den letzten Jahren auch das Motiv einer „rituellen Handlung“ stärker in den Brennpunkt der Diskussion. Der Fokus dieser Arbeit liegt auf der detaillierten Analyse der Frakturen der aus dem Gräberfeld Franzhausen I geborgenen Skelettreste. Dokumentiert wurden intravital, perimortal und post-mortal entstandene Bruchgeschehen. Intravitale, verheilte Frakturen geben Auskunft über interpersonelle Auseinandersetzungen (oder das Unfallrisiko), während perimortale und postmortale Frakturen mit sekundären Störungen bzw. der Grabmanipulationen in Verbindung gebracht werden können. Der Verlauf der Bruchlinie und des Bruchwinkels wurde makroskopisch, die Bruchkantenmorphologie mithilfe einer Lupe beurteilt (König und Wahl 2006, Teschler et al. 2006; Villa und Mahieu 1991). Zusätzlich wurden der generelle Erhaltungszustand der Skelettelemente, sowie das Ausmaß der Grabstörung (unberaubt bis komplett gestört) und die bei der archäologischen Grabung dokumentierte Skelettlage in die Analyse einbezogen. Intravitale Verletzungen wurden bei 9% der untersuchten Skelette festgestellt, einige davon zeigten Hinweise auf therapeutische Maßnahmen. Nahezu alle Skelette wiesen postmortale Frakturen auf, perimortale Bruchgeschehen konnten bei ca. 25% festgestellt werden. Diese Ergebnisse werden mit den archäologischen Erkenntnissen in Bezug auf Grabmanipulation und Skelettlage verglichen und diskutiert.
description: The burial ground Franzhausen I in Lower Austria belongs to the most important early Bronze Age sites in Europe. It comprises 714 graves; the dead were buried in crunched position and according to specific burial rites depending upon the sex and status of the individual (Neugebauer 1997). A significant feature of this burial ground is the extensive disturbance of the graves due to a re-opening in prehistoric time; this was found to be a common phenomenon in Lower Austrian early Bronze Age sites (Sprenger 1999) and attributed to “pilferage” (Neugebauer 1997). More recently, other hypothesis became formulated which relate the re-opening of graves to ritual post-mortem practices. The aim of this study is a detailed analysis of the fractures of the human remains of Franzhausen I. We recorded the type and frequency of healed, intra-vital traumata to shed light on probable interpersonal conflicts of this population geographically localized at a cross point of trading routes. Furthermore we studies perimortal and postmortal fractures to determine the point in time of the grave disturbances. The remains were studied by using macroscopic, reflected-light microscopical inspections and x-ray analysis. We recorded the preservation status of the skeletons and the degree of grave disturbances was observed using Neugebauer´s categories I-V (I: without disturbances; II: slightly disturbed graves; III: Important parts of the skeleton are missing (skull or long bones), the bones are dislocated; IV: Graves are completely disturbed, most of the bony remains are missing or aren’t in situ; completely disturbed graves; V: skeletal remains completely removed). The statistical evaluation showed that 5,5% of the children and 11,2% of the adults exhibit healed lesions. The fractures concerning the adults were signs of blunt violence, for example impression fractures. The injuries of the subadults were the results of a small object/weapon as they are localized in the same area with a similar dimension. One child exhibits signs of medical treatment (Gr. 325). Healed fractures at the postcranial remains are recorded at 7,5% of the adults. The male individuals are more of concerned than female individuals. On the one hand some of the injuries can be interpreted as a result of falls or other accidents during daily live, for example the fractures at the clavicle or the femur. On the other hand there are several signs of interpersonal violence, like the high frequency of healed cranial traumata and parry fractures. Compared to other populations of the Early Bronze Age (Gemeinlebarn F: 2,8%, Pottenbrunn: 6,7%, Hainburg-Teichtal: 6,25%) Franzhausen I has with 9,6% a higher frequency of intravital fractures. That pleads for an increased interpersonal violence in the population of Franzhausen I. Unfortunately the preservation of the skeletons is very poor and there is a statistically significant correlation between the grade of grave disturbances and the preservation status. In severe disturbed graves the surface of the bones are in severe disturbed graves extremely poor disturbed, the determination of the fracture types was very complicated. Perimortal fractures are found in 25% and postmortal fractures were found in 100% of the individuals. The present study was designed to contribute to the controversial discussion about (historical) grave disturbances which were attributed on the one hand to “ritual-behavior” (Spatzier 2007) and “pilferage” on the other (Neugebauer 1997). The frequencies observed in individuals recovered from undisturbed graves especially traumata at the cranial remains (cat. I) most likely represent lethal injuries. But the (higher) frequency of peri-mortem fractures identified in individuals excavated from disturbed graves (cat. II and III) may also include fractures originating from a re-opening of the graves in ancient time. The low frequency of perimortal fractures in severe disturbed graves could be caused by the poor preservation. In consideration of the archaeological context these results do not support the thesis of ritual grave reopenings. The disturbances of the graves exhibit a strong variation in their dimension: they vary from slight dislocations of some bones to a complete exhumation of dead corpses. Furthermore there is a correlation between the grave disturbances and the extraction of metal objects. In addition there is no regularity regarding the fracture types or the localization of the fractures. Given a ritual context one would expect a regular, uniform disturbance of the skeletons. Moreover only a small number of the individuals were disturbed during the decomposition process (10% part association, 1% in association). The analysis of the peri-mortal and postmortal fractures demonstrates that most fractures occurred a long time after decomposition. Our findings, in particular the frequency of peri-mortal fractures observed in re-opened graves (categories II and III) imply rather a pilferage (accompanied by intentional destruction of the corpses) than a ritual context.