About 6,200 years ago, a teenage boy survived a brutal lion attack in what is now Bulgaria. Although deep holes in the boy's skull suggest his brain was severely damaged, a new study has found.
The teenager, between the ages of 16 and 18, may have been hunting when he encountered lion (Panther Leo), according to a study published November 30 in the journal Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports. Lions roamed what is now Eastern Europe during the Copper Age (4500–3500 BC), and cuts on lion bones from prehistoric settlements along the Black Sea coast suggest that people ate them from time to time.
“The skull exhibits a specific pattern of puncture and compression injuries that are inconsistent with man-made weapons or post-mortem injuries,” says the study's lead author. Nadezhda Karastoyanovaan archaeozoologist from the National Museum of Natural History of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (NMNH-BAS), told Live Science via email. “The size, shape, depth and spacing of the defects are consistent with trauma caused by the bite of a very large predator.”
To find out which predator was responsible for the attack, the researchers examined various skulls from the NMNH-BAS collection, including lion and bear skulls. Using a special molding process, they compared various dental impressions with those found on the teenager's skull. The team also looked at the distribution of large predators during the Copper Age and found that the most likely culprit was the lion.
Prehistoric evidence of lions attacking humans is extremely rare, but what makes this case even more exceptional is that the teenager survived the initial trauma, Karastoyanova said. The teenager's skull shows clear signs of healing, suggesting he received medical attention after the attack. However, the healing stage is not yet very advanced – only two or three months – so it appears that the teenager died from his wounds.
One wound in particular looks like it damaged the teenager's meninges – the membranes lining the inside of his skull – leaving his skull intact. brain according to the study, in “doubtful” condition.
The boy's legs and left arm also suffered deep wounds, possibly damaging muscles and tendons, Karastoyanova said. “As this individual was seriously injured as a result of these injuries but survived for a significant period of time, it is very likely that he received care and assistance from other members of the community,” she said.
The teenager was buried near a prehistoric settlement called Kozareva Mogila, or “Goat Mound”, in eastern Bulgaria. Previous openings indicate that the inhabitants of Kozarevo Mogila tried to treat diseases and performed operations on the skulls of living and dead individuals. This suggests they had some level of medical knowledge that may have helped the teenager survive the attack.
However, according to the study, the teenager was likely left with deep scars on his head, arms and legs, which significantly altered his appearance. He probably required support for daily movements, meaning he was unable to do physical work, e.g. agricultureand his neurological functions may have been seriously impaired.
Archaeologists found the teenager buried in a crouched position with his hands in front of his face. Measurements show that he was about 5 feet 9 inches (175 centimeters) tall. No grave goods were found near his skeleton, and his burial was deep compared to other burials at Kozareva Mogila, suggesting that he had a low social status and was feared by his community after the attack.
“His individual life experiences, possible frightening behavior and appearance could make him an unusual and dangerous dead man. [person]requiring deeper deposition,” the researchers wrote in the study.
