Deep Roots of Violence and Disregard for Human Dignity in History

As we all know, wars and battles have always been an essential part of human communities. Today, examples can easily be found in Ukraine, Palestine, and Sudan.

That is why it was particularly interesting to come across a French study analyzing skeletons from northeastern France dating to around 4300–4150 BCE—that is, the remains of people who lived more than 6,000 years ago.

Many of the skeletons showed unhealed injuries as well as skeletal segments of severed left upper limbs. They were therefore most likely the result of excessive violence, mutilation, and/or trophy-taking associated with ancient warfare.

In their work, the researchers reported a multi-isotope reconstruction, based on the bones, of the life histories of individuals defined as “victims” and of other deceased individuals from the same region who had received customary funerary treatment. In total, 82 humans were analyzed, together with 53 animals and 35 modern plants to establish regional isotope baselines.

The results revealed statistically significant isotopic differences between the victims and the nonvictims, which were interpreted as showing that the victims had belonged to invading groups or tribes that were defeated in battles against the local population. They were then brutally killed and deposited in pits—together with trophies in the form of severed upper limbs.

The study thus demonstrated that, more than 6,000 years ago, after a battle had been decided, the victors celebrated their triumph with acts of violence and disregard for human dignity. And this practice has not disappeared even today, as examples of Russian war crimes in Ukraine and the atrocities of fighting groups in Sudan sadly show—not to mention the events of October 7, 2023 in Israel.

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