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Jo Buckberry identifies first known archaeological evidence of a human death caused by a medieval trebuchet

Archaeologists have identified the first known evidence of a human death caused by a trebuchet, a medieval siege engine. Jo Buckberry, a bioarchaeologist at the University of Bradford, presented research on a skeleton found at Scotland's Stirling Castle, which bears over 160 fractures. The remains, labeled Skeleton 150, belonged to a man in his 20s who suffered catastrophic blunt-force trauma to the skull and ribs. Buckberry concluded that the man was likely struck from behind by a high-velocity projectile, similar to the impact of a car crash or a train. Given the historical context of the 1304 siege of Stirling Castle by King Edward I of England, Buckberry argues it is highly likely the man was hit by a missile from a trebuchet, possibly the famous 'War Wolf' machine. Unlike other medieval victims, Skeleton 150 shows no signs of hand-to-hand combat injuries, suggesting an instantaneous death from a single, high-force impact. The findings provide a rare archaeological record of the physical toll of medieval siege warfare.

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