Lethal head traumas of the bronze age (new methods of study)

Today modern radiological and visualization techniques make great impact on the study of lethal wounds among representatives of different archaeological cultures. Battle axes became the most dangerous weapon of the Bronze Age. The current paper is devoted to description of some newly discovered cranial injuries from Pepkino mass grave (Abashevo archaeological culture, the Middle Volga area) with use of microtomography. Our data help to evaluate some consequences of battle axes use and evaluate its type. 3D reconstructions of some non exit wounds caused by axes allow estimate form of striking edge, which seems to be diagnostic. At the same time we experimented using the battle axe of the Abashevo type. Impressions of the strikes made at different angles were obtained on the plastic. After microCT were made scanning 3D virtual images of the weapon striking edge and the skull traumas were compared. The main conclusion of the analysis is that the Pepkino males were killed by Abashevo battle axes. This implies a possible conflict within the population group of this archaeological culture.