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Skeleton excavated at Xóm Rền |
Forensic archaeology is a relatively new term that has emerged alongside the rapid development of criminal science and forensic science in recent years. At the most recent international conference on forensic science held in Hong Kong (August 2004), forensic archaeology was established as an independent topic.
On a cloudy day in December 2005, archaeologist Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng from the Vietnam National Museum of History was observing the digging efforts of local workers in trench 1 at the famous ancient village site of Xóm Rền. This site dates back to the Phùng Nguyên culture, approximately 3,500 to 4,000 years ago, located in Gia Thanh commune, Phu Ninh district, Phu Tho province. Suddenly, he spotted a patch of earth with a distinct white arc contrasting sharply with the reddish-brown soil surrounding it. He instructed the workers to halt and used a professional trowel to further investigate the area.
As he carefully excavated, a human skull gradually came into view. After cleaning off the adhering soil, the details emerged: the skull was slightly tilted to the right. Due to compression, the right cheekbone had been forced upward into the eye socket. The left side of the face remained relatively intact. The lower jaw had white teeth showing wear, indicating that the individual had died at the age of 25-30. The smooth jawline and petite size of the skeleton suggested that the deceased was a woman. The archaeologists in the team were delighted to confirm: we have another genuine representative of our ancestors from the era of the Hùng kings.
This marked the fifth skeleton excavated at this site, and it was possibly the best-preserved one found so far. The rib bones, although fragile, remained intact, and the limb bones and vertebrae were nearly complete, with only minor damage to the two feet and the right arm. The deceased had been buried in a supine position, with the head aligned, arms relaxed, and hands resting close to the hips, covered by a fragment of pelvic bone, with legs extended straight, reflecting a careful and respectful burial practice. The wooden coffin and accompanying organic burial items had long been eroded by the high pH of the soil.
Most notably, while examining the skeleton in detail, the archaeologists discovered injuries on the right thigh and knee that could be considered the cause of death. Forensic archaeologists joined in the study of these injuries.
Forensic archaeology is a new field that has emerged in tandem with the significant advancements in criminal science and forensic science in recent years. At the most recent international forensic science conference in Hong Kong (August 2004), forensic archaeology was established as a distinct area of study. Modern forensic medicine and criminal science focus on collecting and analyzing the remnants of phenomena and artifacts related to criminal cases. In some respects, archaeology shares similar goals. Archaeologists are tasked with gathering evidence to reconstruct the true historical facts buried deep in the earth over time. The application of forensic science techniques and tools to archaeology has yielded fascinating discoveries, such as the evidence of bone healing found in skulls from the Neolithic era (6,000-7,000 years ago), which proved that ancient people could perform trepanation to treat illnesses and subsequently cover the skull, allowing the patient to survive. Surgical instruments were crafted from sharp edges of stone flakes.
Forensic archaeologists have also dissected and determined the causes of death of ancient mummies in Egypt, China, and well-preserved remains found in bogs in England, Denmark, and North America. The noblewoman from the Western Han dynasty, who lived over 2,000 years ago and was buried in Mawangdui, China, was excavated and autopsied, revealing that her death was due to gallstones. The search for the cause of death of the young Roman Emperor Alexander, as well as that of his father, continues to attract extensive research from forensic archaeologists.
The skeleton of the woman from Xóm Rền, who died approximately 3,500 years ago, has also been studied using forensic archaeology methods. The entire skeleton was cleaned without distortion and remained in the same position as it had lain for over 3,000 years. All fractures on the skeleton were captured in detail and analyzed in the digital laboratory of the Southeast Asian Prehistory Center. Evidence of an unnatural death gradually emerged on the screen under the observation and confirmation of Vietnamese, British, and Japanese scientists: two fractures in the long bones and particularly a severe area of bone trauma near the right femur just above the knee. It seemed that a heavy object had suddenly fallen onto the knee of this woman, causing that section of the bone to shatter into multiple fragments. Perhaps due to this impact or subsequent struggles to free herself, additional fractures appeared above the knee, with the right femur showing signs of elongation of about 2 cm compared to the unbroken left femur. The woman did not die immediately from these fractures. Evidence of healing lines indicated that the bone healing process occurred after the fracture, which took about 1-3 months following the incident. The healing process was ongoing but incomplete when the woman died.
Vietnamese archaeology is entering a phase of robust application of natural science achievements to establish new and independent scientific disciplines. The discovery and systematization of evidence such as blackened teeth, the extraction of incisors and canines as customs, as well as the markings and cut traces on the bones and skull of deceased individuals at Động Xá 2,000 years ago, hold significant scientific value as exemplars in authentically and vividly restoring the lives and deaths of our ancestors from ancient times, while also gathering experience for the formation of a new scientific discipline—Forensic Archaeology.
Nguyễn Việt – Nguyễn Mạnh Thắng
