Medieval Knight‘s Skull Reveals Rare Genetic Condition, Leaving Researchers “Speechless”
Skeletons unearthed near the castle of Zorita de los Canes in central Spain have yielded a remarkable discovery: a medieval soldier’s skull exhibiting a rare genetic anomaly. The findings, detailed in the scientific magazine Heritage in October, center on a skeleton dating between the 13th and 15th centuries, distinguished by its unusually long and narrow head.
The soldier was buried in a deteriorated wooden coffin during excavations conducted between 2014 and 2019. While many bones hadn’t survived the centuries, the skull itself was recovered and subjected to analysis by scientists from various Spanish research institutions. The skull showed evidence of two stab wounds to the head.
anthropologist Carme Rissech, lead author of the study, expressed her astonishment, stating in an interview with Live Science that she had “never seen a skull like this before, least of all that of a knight.” The castle of Zorita de los Canes was, during parts of the Middle Ages, occupied by the Order of Calatrava, a military-religious order founded to combat the Moors during the Reconquista.
Analysis revealed the man was between 45 and 49 years old at the time of death and possessed the musculature of an active individual. However, the most striking feature was the premature closure of his three cranial sutures - the fibrous joints between the bones of the skull that typically fuse in adulthood, around age 20. This premature fusion, known as craniosynostosis, can lead to brain damage.
while craniosynostosis can result from gestational conditions, it frequently enough stems from genetic mutations, such as Crouzon syndrome. Crouzon syndrome is characterized by additional cranial abnormalities, including widely spaced and protruding eyes, a small jaw, and hearing loss.
Researchers hypothesize the soldier may have suffered from Crouzon syndrome, as only his skull displays alterations.However, they emphasize the need for further genetic analysis to confirm this theory.
The study highlights the rarity of surviving adulthood with craniosynostosis without surgical intervention, which was unavailable during the medieval period. “The majority of documented cases, especially in medieval times, are pediatric,” the archaeologists noted. “The survival of these individuals to adulthood without surgical intervention is especially notable, given the possible complications.” The discovery represents an exceptional find, offering a unique glimpse into the life of a medieval warrior who lived with a rare genetic condition.
