Possible first trebuchet casualty identified in 14th‑century Stirling Castle skeleton
TL;DR
A 700-year-old skeleton (Skeleton 150) found at Stirling Castle shows extensive, high-velocity trauma consistent with being struck by a siege engine. Researchers say the fractures and skull damage, plus the context of a 1304 siege by Edward I, point to a trebuchet as the likely cause, making him a potential first recorded casualty of a trebuchet. The body was buried with seven other war casualties, and carbon dating places them in the 1300s; experts emphasize the injuries are inconsistent with accidental falls or trampling.
- ‘Pinned to the ground’: Badly-fractured 700-year-old skeleton could be first ever casualty of giant medieval catapult New York Post
- A 14th-Century Skeleton Had Injuries That Looked Like a Car Crash. What Killed Him? The New York Times
- Skeleton with 167 fractures discovered at Scottish castle may have been first victim of Edward I's 'War Wolf' trebuchet Yahoo
- This 700-Year-Old Skeleton May Be the First Man in History Smashed by a Giant Catapult Popular Mechanics
- News - Medieval Scottish Man May Be First Confirmed Case of Death by Trebuchet Archaeology Magazine
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