The earliest mass graves in Europe date back just over 7,000 years. They reveal brutal evidence for violence beyond the simple act of killing. The motives for these events are probably diverse but consistently highlight an intention to kill large numbers of enemies across sex and age ranges.
Our study of a 2,850-year-old massacre and resulting mass grave at Gomolava (modern day Serbia) shows the nature of mass killings evolving. Comprised mostly of women and girls, the grave suggests a shift in prehistoric violence. Here, women and children were not collateral victims, but deliberate targets. Looking at who was killed and how they were related can tell us about changes in ancient attitudes to killing combatants – but also choices in targeting non-combatants.
The site at Gomolava, first excavated in 1971, is the second of two contemporary mass graves. It contained 77 people. Our recent study has uncovered the circumstances surrounding their death.
