specific clue present. One of the skeletons studied in South Africa was that of
a young female found near the southern Cape coast. Two arrow points were
found embedded in her lower vertebrae, and the angle of these showed that
she had been shot while lying face down on the ground (Figure 9).
Better evidence of violence can be seen in cranial wounds. A number of the
skeletons studied had damage to their skulls apparently caused by a pointed
object such as a hardened digging stick. The victims of this type of assault
included three children in the Modder River area, as well as a number of other
men, women and young adults from elsewhere.
The South African researchers have come to the conclusion that the rate of
murder amongst these prehistoric communities was proportionally twice as
high as the murder rate for New York City in 1990.^9
Evidence for ancient violence has been found all over Europe–possible
cannibalism in France, Denmark, Croatia, the Netherlands and Spain, and
many examples of projectile or other bone or stone points embedded in
bodies. There are also many examples of depressed skull fractures which may
be the result of deliberate blows.
THE OLDEST CRIMESFigure 9. Bone point (arrowed) between the vertebrae of a stone age
individual from South Africa