Oldest criminal case

Massacre 7000 years ago

The finds suggest that the raid was not a squeamish one. Now analyses are to clarify what happened 7000 years ago.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Jakob Maurer; Landessammlungen NÖ)

7000 years ago, invaders almost wiped out one of the largest settlement areas north of the Danube. An innovative school project, which lasted two and a half years, provided scientists with valuable data for solving the ancient "crime mystery": finds from almost 150 skeletons are now being analyzed.

"It was probably a powerful raid by troops from outside our region," says Jakob Maurer from the University of Continuing Education Krems. At any rate, this is proven by the finds that have already been analyzed as part of a multi-year project: "We were able to analyze traces of injuries caused by clubs or axes."

Presumed reconstruction of the events
And this is what is said to have happened: 7,000 years ago, one of the largest settlements north of the Danube was located in the Weinviertel region near Asparn in the district of Mistelbach. A huge, secure fortification offered protection from intruders - it is said that inhabitants from the entire region suddenly sought shelter there. However, experts suspect that almost the entire settlement with around 1000 inhabitants was wiped out as a result.

Pupils carried out valuable "educational work"
To solve this "criminal case", the head of the Danube University in Krems, specializing in further education, enlisted the help of young people: pupils from the new secondary school in Asparn an der Zaya have been working closely with the scientists for two and a half years. After all, numerous samples had to be collected in their home towns - in accordance with strict regulations in order to obtain correct results. Maurer: "Without the young researchers, we would have needed complicated permits. However, we were able to reliably and quickly collect 150 samples."

"Citizen Scientist" project: Valuable experience from the pupils
"I noticed that my pupils' interest grew over time. In addition to the pedagogical preparation, I attribute this above all to the fact that this is a real scientific project," says Director Johann Keintzel from the Asparn an der Zaya school center. "And this very direct and long-lasting collaboration awakened enthusiasm for science - especially among girls, which is particularly important to me."

Adult "Citizen Scientists" were and are also involved in the project, who join us in searching for the settlements in the Asparn/Schletz area through field inspections. Maurer: "The scientific and local background always arouses great interest among the participants. The Asparn/Schlez project will run for another year or so." 

And so it continues
The big question has not yet been fully answered: Where did the attackers come from? The second part of the project will now show this. The aim is to analyze the region of origin of the "perpetrators" based on the finds. In particular, teeth found will be analyzed using the latest methods, which will provide information on eating habits: This provides the researchers with particularly reliable conclusions about the origin of the "intruders". 

Info: www.united-by-crisis.at