麻豆淫院

Scientists have found what they believe may be the earliest evidence of violence in Southeast Asia. Studies of a 12,000-year-old skeleton of a man, discovered in Vietnam, reveal he was shot by an arrow with a quartz tip. However, it wasn't the injury that finished him off. He likely died of a subsequent infection, according to a paper in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

The nearly complete and well-preserved skeleton, dubbed TBH1, was excavated from the Thung Binh 1 cave in northern Vietnam in 2018 and dates back to the late Pleistocene epoch. Although his skull had been crushed and he had a minor ankle injury, the man appeared to have enjoyed good health during his life and died when he was about 35.

Further study of the skeleton revealed he had 25 ribs, one more than the normal 24. Supernumerary ribs, such as this, are present in around 0.2% to 1% of the general population. The rib was fractured, located near the neck and showed signs of infection, such as a draining cloaca. This is an opening in the bone that allows pus from an infection to drain.

The researchers also discovered a small, triangular quartz flake near the rib, which they believe was part of a projectile, such as an arrow, that did not kill him instantly. He likely lived for a few months after the initial injury. In addition to the draining cloaca, the evidence for this includes the presence of a false joint or pseudoarthrosis between the fractured pieces of rib. This is something that develops when a bone fracture doesn't heal properly. It does not occur with a fresh break.

Earliest evidence of conflict?

While this research offers a fascinating insight into the life and fate of one man who lived thousands of years ago, the scientists behind the paper believe it says more about conflict in this part of the ancient world.

"The trauma and subsequent infection are the likely cause of death and, to our knowledge, the earliest indication of interpersonal conflict from mainland Southeast Asia," wrote Christopher M. Stimpson, the lead author of the study.

Well-preserved human remains from the Pleistocene epoch in Southeast Asia are rare, so this research is significant. However, a single discovery is not enough to draw a conclusion about how common violence was at this time. More discoveries of existing or newly excavated remains could tell us a lot about the origins of conflict in Southeast Asian societies.

漏 2025 Science X Network