DNA identifies homelands of decapitated men in England

In 2004, the skeletal remains of 80 men were discovered in a Roman-era cemetery in York.

“Of the 80 individuals, 48 of them, 60% of the total and 79% of the 61 skeletons with surviving crania and cervical vertebrae, had been decapitated from behind with a very sharp, very fine blade. Their heads were buried with them but not in anatomically correct or even consistent positions. Skulls were placed on the chest, between the legs and at their feet.”

…

“Osteological evidence indicates they were trained to fight from a young age. Their right arms were consistently longer than their left, which means they’d been using weapons regularly since before they’d finished growing. Most (of) them also showed signs of inadequate nutrition in childhood which they overcame to become healthy, strapping young men.”

The men were not from the area in which they were buried. One traveled a long distance.

“The nearest modern descendants of the Roman British men sampled live not in Yorkshire, but in Wales. …

“However, one of the decapitated Romans had a very different story, of Middle Eastern origin he grew up in the region of modern day Palestine*, Jordan or Syria before migrating to this region and meeting his death in York.”

http://www.thehistoryblog.com/

(*There is no “modern day Palestine.”)