Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 92. (Budapest 2000)

Éry, K.: Anthropological studies on a Late Roman Period population at Tác-Margittelep

etons of children buried in shallow graves are more easily destroyed by tillage. In addition, many newborns and small children were not necessarily given place within the burial ground of a community in the old days. On the other hand, it should be regarded as a special feature of the Tác population that mortality was very high (almost three times higher than expected) in the age interval between 5 to 14 years, even after the numbers of newborns were corrected. Epidemic childhood diseases that usually strike this age group seem to be the only explanation for this phenomenon. According to the finds, these took their toll not only from the settlement's older children but also from young adults in the 15 to 19 years age bracket. As far as adults are concerned, the relative paucity of males is conspicuous: their ratio to women is 128 to 151. Since numerous cases of battle-related trauma occur on the male skeletons of this cemetery, it may be assumed that the absence of men should be explained by their death and enterrment, as soldiers, in faraway places. This hypothesis may be reconfirmed by the fact that the number of skeletons is especially small in the case of 20 to 34 year old males. Traumatic and pathological cases Evidence of violence a) Sword cuts on the skull. Three lethal sword cuts were observed on the skull of a 34-38 year old man (No. 174). The calvarium was hit sideways, and the cranial vault was cut open by the removal of a 49 by 32 mm piece of bone. Another cut damaged the occipital region from behind and opened the cranial vault to a length of 60 mm. Another, parallel cut also hit the occiput and cut through the bone almost completely (Figs 9-10, 13). The skull of another man (53-57 years old, No. 180) bears three lethal wounds inflicted by sword as well. One of these cuts hit the occipital part from above thereby opening the cranial vault. The other came from behind in a horizontal direction, cutting through the occiput and damaging even the parietalia. The third cut hit the face in a horizontal direction which dissected the zygomatic bone and the maxilla on the right side (Figs 14-15). A man (43-49 years old, No. 186) suffered a lethal cranial sword cut as well.This came from behind in an oblique direction and sliced off a 42 mm long section of bone thereby opening the cranial vault. The piece that had been cut off was found as well (Figs 11-12). Three lethal sword cuts hit the skull of another man (44-48 years old, No. 237). One of these hit the right parietal bone from above and behind, inflicting a wound of approximately 68 mm. The piece of bone cut off was also found. Another