Tracking of Infectious Diseases and Deadly Injuries through Signs Observed in Excavated Human Skeletons of 2000 BC/Iron Age in Iran

Dariush D.  Farhud; Mahsa  Azari; Mehdi  Rahbar

doi:10.18502/ijph.v53i7.16054

Dariush D. Farhud School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mahsa Azari Research Center for Paleogenomics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Mehdi Rahbar Organization of Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism, Tehran, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v53i7.16054

Keywords: Ancient war; Paleopathology; Ancient skeletons; Infectious disease; Iron age; Iran

Abstract

Background: Throughout history, many wars have occurred for various reasons, and many empires and kings have fallen or many people killed by wars. Wars were not always due to the conquest of the country. in the Iron Age, societies were governed by tribes at the head of the tribe, and war was only for to seize property, slaves, and food. Our research area is the same period as the Medes Kingdom, which included the union of small, large tribes, wars between tribes existed in that period, and their signs can be seen on the remains of the people of that period.

Methods: Our research is related to human remains from Sagezabad cemetery, Qazvin plain, which dates back to 2000 BC (Iron Age 2 and 3) in Iran.

Results: The blows on the remains were very serious and caused death. We have discussed how to kill by “considering the injured body”.

Conclusion: Our investigation of how people were killed in war based on injury marks and bullet holes in bones, and simulating those injuries to body tissues and organs also, people who had bone cuts from the war and survived and had bone repair and died due to lack of nutrients and infection were also discussed.