"They were all adult males between 40 and 60 years old when they died, ranging in height from 1.62 to 1.82 meters (5'4-6). They were in good overall health with excellent teeth, but osteoarthritis in the bones, particularly in the legs, attests to them having consistently experienced strenuous physical activity in their lives."
"Intriguingly, five or six of the 13 have signs of unhealed sharp force trauma, namely cuts on the humerus bones and in one case, two sharp blows to the skull, likely from a sword. This means they were at least cut at the time of death and even if the humerus blows were not the coups de grace, the deceased were deliberately killed."
"They had all been laid to rest in the same manner: seated on the bottom of a circular pit, backs against the eastern wall, facing west. Their hands were on their laps or legs. They were buried without grave goods, except for one individual who was found wearing a black stone armband."
Archaeological work at the Josephine Baker school complex in Dijon uncovered additional seated burials from the Gallic period, continuing discoveries begun in 2024. These burials follow consistent patterns: individuals seated in circular pits with backs against eastern walls, facing west, hands positioned on laps or legs. Analysis of the first 13 burials revealed they were adult males aged 40-60, ranging from 1.62 to 1.82 meters tall, in good health with excellent dentition but showing osteoarthritis from strenuous physical activity. Notably, five or six individuals displayed unhealed sharp force trauma including cuts and skull blows, indicating deliberate killing. Dijon's approximately 20 seated Gallic tombs represent over a quarter of the 75 such burials identified worldwide, with similar sites found in France, Switzerland, and the UK.
Read at www.thehistoryblog.com
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