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Scientists uncovered a 12000 year old skeleton named TBH1 in Thung Binh 1 cave Vietnam with the oldest regional mitochondrial DNA and evidence of a fatal quartz projectile injury.
The skull and skeleton of the man from the Thung Binh 1 cave are arranged in their anatomical positions. (CNN)
A well-preserved human skeleton that scientists recently excavated in Vietnam dates back about 12,000 years to the Ice Age and contains the oldest human mitochondrial DNA found in the region.
The skeleton belonged to a man around 35 years old who died after being pierced in the neck by a projectile with a tip made of quartz, condemning him to a long, lingering death.
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Although the injury did not kill him immediately, the analysis of his damaged cervical rib bone revealed signs of tissue growth and an infection that likely caused his death, scientists reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
The study, led by scientist Dr Christopher Stimpson, has revealed the oldest evidence of human conflict on the southeast Asian mainland.
“After the injury, this man lived for weeks, or even months, with a wound that just wouldn’t heal,” Christopher said, adding, “It seems likely that this became infected and eventually killed him.”
The quartz tip found near the injury shows evidence of human craftsmanship, but its unique style raises questions about who made it.
The remains were found in a cave site named Thung Binh 1 in what is now Tràng An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
His wound and his survival for some time afterward offer a rare glimpse into the lives of people in this region during the waning days of the Pleistocene era, about 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago, CNN reported.
It also suggests early forms of interpersonal violence in the region, along with hints that the man was cared for after his injury, indicating a community presence, scientists reported.
“Human skeletal material from the Late Pleistocene of Southeast Asia is relatively scarce,” said Hugo Reyes-Centeno, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Kentucky and a fellow at the Swedish Collegium for Advanced Studies.
Researchers found the skeleton, which they dubbed “TBH1,” in December 2017. The skull was shattered and flattened, but most of the pieces appeared to be present, including all of the man’s teeth. The pelvis and vertebrae were also fragmented.
“To recover a skeleton of this age – from around 12,000 years ago – and in this condition is a rarity from this part of the world. The excellent state of preservation permitted detailed analysis of the skeleton and skull, facilitating the testing of different models of biological affinity,” Dr Stimpson said.
Skeletal analysis revealed a minor ankle injury, but the man’s overall health was good before the trauma that caused his death. Review of the mitochondrial DNA confirmed that the individual was male and suggested a maternal lineage associated with local hunter-gatherers, descended from humans who were among the earliest to migrate into the region.
Based on the quartz fragment’s shape, scientists interpreted it as the point of a projectile that pierced the man’s neck on the right side and broke his cervical rib, ultimately leading to a fatal infection. The position, size and type of injury hinted at a small but fast-moving object; a larger object would have caused more serious damage, and death probably would have been instantaneous, the study authors reported.
(With inputs from agencies)
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
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