ИСТИНА

In this case study we present one of the wagon drivers from the Early Bronze Age Catacomb Culture (c.2800-2200BC) in the Northern Caucasus. The adult male (burial 8, burial mound 1), from the site Damba-Kalaus 2, was buried together with his wagon and a selection of grave goods. In addition to a number of ante-mortem pathological conditions, he demonstrated evidence for a peri-mortem injury to the left side of his frontal. The lesion is circular and approximately 2cm in diameter with radiating fracture lines. There are additional fractures to the facial and left temporal regions, indicating more than a single blow, although these areas of the cranium are fragmentary. Interestingly, the size and shape of the lesion is suggestive of a blow from a small metal hammer. These are typical for later periods but have not, so far, been found in the Catacomb Culture, where larger bronze and stone axes are the only known types. In addition, this is the first individual, of 170 so far investigated, that exhibits a lethal fracture from the Bronze Age in the Northern Caucasus.