A skeleton discovered with more than 160 fractures is now believed to be the first confirmed victim of a trebuchet, a powerful medieval siege weapon. The remains, known as Skeleton 150, were initially unearthed in 1997 near eight other individuals beneath the royal chapel at Stirling Castle in Scotland.
Dr. Jo Buckberry, a medieval warfare expert and archaeologist at the University of Bradford, re-examined the 700-year-old skeleton. The pattern and severity of the bone breaks led Dr. Buckberry to conclude that the individual was struck by a large projectile moving at high speed. "I had never seen anything like it, ever," Dr. Buckberry stated. "Every single rib on both sides has at least one fracture. The whole shoulder complex is crushed. The skull alone has over 60 fractures."
The injuries did not align with common medieval causes of death such as falls or combat wounds inflicted at close range. Dr. Buckberry noted that the high-velocity nature of the trauma was unusual for the medieval period. She later encountered a similar injury pattern on a person killed in a car crash, underscoring the extreme force involved.
Dr. Buckberry, working with Patrick Randolph-Quinney of Uppsala University, determined that the fractures were inconsistent with a fall from castle walls. The evidence suggested the man was standing when struck from behind, leading to instant death. This aligns with the known use of trebuchets during sieges.
A trebuchet is a medieval siege engine that uses a long arm and a counterweight to hurl heavy objects over long distances. These machines were frequently used to bombard fortresses and cities, launching stones, burning materials, and other projectiles. While often employed to break down castle walls, they could also be used to launch projectiles over defenses.
Historical records indicate that King Edward I of England deployed a trebuchet known as the 'War Wolf' in 1304. This weapon was used during his siege of Stirling Castle, which was a significant event in the Scottish Wars of Independence. The presence of the 'War Wolf' during the siege of Stirling Castle makes it a plausible candidate for the weapon that inflicted the fatal injuries on Skeleton 150.
