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The Sandby Borg Massacre: Interpersonal Violence and the Demography of the Dead

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The Sandby Borg Massacre: Interpersonal Violence and the Demography of the Dead European Journal of Archaeology 22 (2) 2019, 210–231 This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the same Creative Commons licence is included and the original work is properly cited. The written permission of Cambridge University Press must be obtained for commercial re-use. The Sandby Borg Massacre: Interpersonal Violence and the Demography of the Dead 1 2 CLARA ALFSDOTTER AND ANNA KJELLSTRÖM 1School of Cultural Studies, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden 2Department of Archaeology and Classical Studies, University of Stockholm, Sweden During excavations of the Iron Age ringfort of Sandby borg (AD 400–550), the remains of twenty-six unburied bodies were encountered inside and outside the buildings. The skeletons and the archaeological record indicate that after the individuals had died the ringfort was deserted. An osteological investigation and trauma analysis were conducted according to standard anthropological protocols. The osteological analysis identified only men, but individuals of all ages were represented. Eight individuals (31 per cent) showed evidence of perimortem trauma that was sharp, blunt, and penetrating, consistent with interper- sonal violence. The location of the bodies and the trauma pattern appear to indicate a massacre rather than a battle. The ‘efficient trauma’ distribution (i.e. minimal but effective violence), the fact that the bodies were not manipulated, combined with the archaeological context, suggest that the perpetrators were numerous and that the assault was carried out effectively. The contemporary sociopolitical situation was seemingly turbulent and the suggested motive behind the massacre was to gain power and control. Keywords: violence, trauma, Migration period, Sandby borg, Iron Age, unburied INTRODUCTION mainland in the Baltic Sea. The remains of fifteen Iron Age ringforts (i.e. fortified vil- The timespan between AD 400 and 550, lages) are still visible on Öland. These ring- the so-called Migration period when the forts might be the result of a general Roman empire was declining, is considered change in settlement, as many settlements a period of social instability and political were abandoned during the Migration turmoil in Europe. The regions north of period (Stenberger, 1933; Näsman, 1988). the Rhine and Danube were populated by Initial studies have shown that a massacre various tribes, the tribes of Scandinavia was carried out in the ringfort of Sandby each being ruled by a few elites as a result borg, and that the victims were not buried of growing social differentiation. While the (Victor, 2015; Alfsdotter et al., 2018) written sources are few, archaeological (Figure 1). The word massacre is used to records document widespread contact with describe a collective act of intentionally the continent (Näsman, 1984; Lund killing a group of people unprepared for Hansen, 1987; Fischer, 2005). This era is battle. Here, we examine the violent event characterized by finds of Roman solidi and in general, and its victims in particular. hoards of gold, not least on the island of Though it is clear that many people died Öland, located east of the Swedish during a single event at Sandby borg, the © European Association of Archaeologists 2018 doi:10.1017/eaa.2018.55 Manuscript received 6 March 2018, accepted 3 September 2018, revised 5 July 2018 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.33.42, on 27 Sep 2021 at 02:04:47, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/eaa.2018.55 Alfsdotter and Kjellström – The Sandby Borg Massacre 211 Figure 1. Map showing the location of Sandby borg, Öland, Sweden (basemap © OpenStreetMap contributors, modified by Helena Victor). history behind the massacre is not known. culture-specific, the results are further con- We present the demography of the dead, textualized in an attempt to discuss the the trauma patterns, the type of trauma, and event, the perpetrators, and the possible the positions of the dead. Since violence is motives that prompted the violence. Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.33.42, on 27 Sep 2021 at 02:04:47, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/eaa.2018.55 212 European Journal of Archaeology 22 (2) 2019 The Sandby borg ringfort to have housed 200–300 inhabitants (Victor, 2015). A mix of prestigious jewellery and The vast majority of artefacts found within everyday items was discovered in the the ringfort indicate that Sandby borg was dwellings (Victor, 2015; Gunnarsson et al., occupied between AD 400 and 550 (Victor, 2016). The large quantity of valuable arte- 2015; Alfsdotter et al., 2018). Since 2011, facts, in association with the discovery of small-scale annual excavations have been articulated human and animal remains, gives carried out by Kalmar County Museum. the impression of a ‘moment frozen in time’ Three houses have been fully excavated, and (Alfsdotter et al., 2018). Articulated and six partially. Additionally, parts of the street partially scattered skeletons of humans and surrounding the central block have been animals (sheep, dogs, and pigs) were found subject to excavation (Figure 2). The exca- within the houses. Macro-botanical and vated area amounts to a modest 9 per cent taphonomic analyses indicate that the ring- of the ringfort interior, but the results are fort was not revisited after the violent attack nevertheless informative in terms of the (Heimdahl, 2014, 2016;seediscussionin history of the ringfort. Future excavations Alfsdotter et al., 2018;forataphonomic will clarify this further. The fort is believed discussion, see Alfsdotter & Kjellström, in Figure 2. The internal structures of Sandby borg in accordance with geophysical prospection (Viberg 2012). Identified plausible house structures have been numbered 1–53. Marked areas have been subject to excavation. (Figure by Helena Victor.) Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.33.42, on 27 Sep 2021 at 02:04:47, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/eaa.2018.55 Alfsdotter and Kjellström – The Sandby Borg Massacre 213 preparation). The commingled skeletal and necrosis, or an abnormal elemental remains are predominant in an outdoor shape (i.e. inadequate fusion or pseudoar- environment. The archaeozoological analysis throsis). When a fracture does not show has shown that the event is likely to have any signs of healing in fresh bone, it is clas- taken place between late spring and early sified as a perimortem trauma, which indi- autumn (Alfsdotter in Gunnarsson et al., cates that it occurred around the time of 2016). Recent isotopic analyses indicate that death (Knüsel, 2005; Ubelaker, 2015). at least two of the individuals (ID1 and However, since the perimortem interval is ID2) were probably locals (Wilhelmson, related to the moisture retention of the 2017: 143). For a detailed description of bone, the period can be prolonged in comparative materials, contemporary certain environments (Kjellström & Ham- weapons, and tactics, see the online supple- ilton, 2014). Characteristics of perimortem ment (Supplementary materials 1). trauma include smooth, obtuse fracture angles with the same coloration as the rest of the bone, sometimes in combination MATERIAL AND METHODS with a plastic response and distinctive frac- ture types described in the medical litera- Minimum number of individuals ture (Ubelaker, 2015). Perimortem trauma (MNI), sex, and age determinations was further categorized according to type: sharp force trauma (SFT), puncture trauma Standard osteological techniques were (PT), and blunt force trauma (BFT). SFT applied for sex and age determinations of are injuries (incisions, stab wounds, or the individuals. The methods are listed in chop wounds) sustained from a sharp the online supplement (Supplementary object which leaves linear marks, V-shaped materials 2). All individuals were assigned in cross section, and a smooth kerf wall to the following age groups: fetal= <birth; (sometimes showing striae perpendicular to infant= 0–3 years; child= 3–12 years; ado- the kerf floor) (Reichs, 1998). The kerf fea- lescent= 12–20 years; young adult= 20–35 tures, such as the angle of entry and stria years; middle adult= 35–50 years; old may indicate the direction of the blow adult= 50+ (Buikstra & Ubelaker, 1994) (Boylston, 2000). If the sharp force lesion (Table 1). that penetrated the tissue is deeper than it is wide, indicating that it was caused by a sharp, pointed object, the lesion is classified Trauma analysis as puncture trauma (PT). BFT are injuries (tear or crush fractures) caused by broad All elements were examined macroscopic- objects which, except for the immediate ally and deviations implying trauma were site of impact, can involve radiating and further investigated microscopically (at a concentric fractures (Berryman & Symes, magnification of c. ×10–40). For each 1998). For both SFT and BFT, the loca- lesion, the size (maximum length and tion, size, and shape were recorded. Given width), shape, and location (element, side, the poor preservation and the complexity of affected part) were recorded. Trauma was the varying contexts (i.e. several houses and classified as antemortem or perimortem. the street) in which the bones were recov- Antemortem trauma is defined as injuries ered, the crude prevalence was used to esti- with signs of osteoblastic or osteoclastic mate the number of trauma per affected activity implying different stages of healing individual (in comparison with true preva- such as bone remodelling (callus formation) lence where the estimation acknowledges Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.33.42, on 27 Sep 2021 at 02:04:47, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms.
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