Mass grave of 77 individuals in Serbia, mid‑9th century BC. Victims mainly women and children, bludgeoned or stabbed, some with weapon injuries Isotopic analysis shows most were non‑local, travelling >30 miles to the site Grave contained a sacrificed cow, burnt millet/barley and stone slabs, indicating ritual decommissioning
19 remarkably preserved wooden bows have been recovered from the submerged lake settlement of La Marmotta near Rome, dating to the Early Neolithic period (~5600-5200 BC). Made from locally available Mediterranean forest species including hornbeam, wayfaring tree, alder, dogwood, ash and oak, these bows demonstrate how Neolithic communities cleverly adapted their tool-making to whatever materials were at hand. The extraordinary preservation came courtesy of the lake's anoxic conditions and thick sediment layers, offering archaeologists a rare window into early woodworking technology. Archaeological divers recovered these pieces between 1993 and 2005, extracting them from the muddy bottom of Lake Bracciano with extreme care.
Key Facts
- Victims mainly women and children, bludgeoned or stabbed, some with weapon injuries
- Isotopic analysis shows most were non‑local, travelling >30 miles to the site
- Grave contained a sacrificed cow, burnt millet/barley and stone slabs, indicating ritual decommissioning
Related site: Croglam Castle defended Iron Age settlement — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: LIVE ~ PREHISTORIC ARCHAEOLOGY NEWS From Around the World by The Prehistory Guys