Yan Liu: Beyond battle scars: An analysis of injury patterns in the eastern Eurasian Steppe

The eastern Eurasian Steppe is a region historically associated with organized military action, warrior elites, and advancements in weapons. This study investigates injury patterns there to assess the extent of violence. I analyse human remains from five archaeological sites: Bizili (206 BCE-605 CE) and Xiabandi (1550 BCE-550 CE) in north-western China, Neiyangyuan (2070-480 BCE), Fushanqiaobei (17th century BCE-220 CE), and Shuzhuanglou (1271-1368 CE) in north-central China. This study hypothesizes a higher frequency of injuries in the north-central area for two reasons. First, the archaeological indicators suggest the presence of inequality (different burial practices) and specialized weapons (metal swords and dagger-axes). Secondly, this area was a conflict zone between nomadic and agricultural empires.Results indicate significant differences in injury patterns. In north-western sites, more than 30% of injuries are direct-force cranial injuries. In Bizili, 22.9% of left and 12.5% of right nasal bones are involved, followed by parietal and occipital bones. In Xiabandi, the left parietal, temporal and both nasal bones are involved. Most victims are young adults, and no significant sex differences are observed. Conversely, in the north-central sites, only three mid-aged males exhibit nasal fractures. To conclude, the observed injury patterns challenge archaeological findings and historical records. The north-central sites show few injuries related to either inter-group or intra-group conflicts. In contrast, the north-western sites primarily display blows to face, left side and back of head. Several individuals also show isolated ulna and indirect-force metacarpal shaft fractures, suggesting face-to-face and hand-to-hand combat in both sexes.