A 700-year-old skeleton discovered at Stirling Castle in Scotland exhibits a pattern of severe fractures that bioarchaeologists believe is evidence of the first recorded death caused by a medieval catapult, specifically a trebuchet.
The skeleton, known as Skeleton 150, was unearthed in 1997 alongside seven other casualties of war. Carbon dating placed the skeleton and five others from the same site in the 14th century, a period marked by conflict between England and Scotland. During this era, King Edward I of England, also known as Edward Longshanks, was attempting to assert control over Scotland.
While other skeletons from the site showed signs of combat wounds, Skeleton 150 presented a unique set of 167 fractures. Jo Buckberry, a bioarchaeologist at the University of Bradford, described the injuries as consistent with being struck by an object traveling at high velocity from behind. The victim's skull bore 61 fractures, and a deep, zigzagging break was evident in the shoulder, accompanied by nearly 60 similar rib fractures.
Forensic analysis, including that by anthropologist Patrick Randolph-Quinney, ruled out other causes of death such as falling from the castle walls or post-mortem trampling. The nature of the fractures suggested an impact from a large, fast-moving projectile. Buckberry compared the injury patterns to those seen in modern-day car accidents or individuals struck by trains.
Further investigation into historical records revealed that Edward I employed a massive trebuchet, reportedly named "War Wolf," during his 1304 siege of Stirling Castle. These siege engines, equipped with counterweights and slings, were capable of launching heavy projectiles hundreds of meters. Historical accounts describe "War Wolf" as being able to penetrate castle walls.
While it cannot be definitively confirmed that Skeleton 150 was a victim of "War Wolf" specifically, researchers consider a siege engine of similar power the most probable cause of death. Buckberry posited that the individual, believed to be in his 20s, was likely facing away from the attack and was killed almost instantly by a projectile. The projectile's impact propelled him to the ground rapidly. The imprecision of trebuchets, designed to target fortifications rather than individuals, suggests the soldier was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time during the siege.