Savaged skeleton of teen who survived lion attack 6,200 years ago uncovered

The youngster’s skeleton was found at a burial site near the small settlement of Kableshkovo in Bulgaria.

He’s believed to have been aged around 18 to 20, but potentially as old as 30, and stood about 176cm tall.

And scientists say his “severe injuries” suggested “a carnivore attack” around 6,200 years ago.

He was found with scars on his head, arms, and legs, which they say suggested a prolonged recovery period.

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The damage included cut muscle and tendon fibres, which would’ve led to “considerable limb disability“.

And they added: “An open cranial vault and a fused bone splinter on the inner cranial surface may have caused neurological disturbances.”

Researchers reckon that the marks on the skull closely match the upper teeth of a lion.

They believe he was knocked to the ground and bitten multiple times, only to survive and require care from locals.

“The individual likely had difficulty walking and may have experienced brain issues,” said lead author Nadezhda Karastoyanova, of the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Science.

“Nevertheless, he lived and was cared for by the community, indicating that they took care of their disabled members.”

The archaeologists aren’t sure if he was preyed upon by the lion, or he was hunting the creature himself – or if it was just a chance encounter.

“Predators coexisted with early human populations,” Nadezhda explained.

“During a favourable climatic phase in the Eneolithic period, lions expanded their range significantly in the Balkans, extending northwards,” the study explains.

“Lion remains have been discovered in various Eastern European locations from the Neolithic period to the late Iron Age.

“The earliest finds are from Bulgaria, Greece, and Hungary.”

In any case, the youngster was “injured extremely badly” by the lion.

“The tooth appears to have penetrated the skull and reached deeper structures,” Nadezhda said.

“Comparative measurements between the lion’s canine and the cavity in the skull suggest a penetration depth of approximately 10mm.”

She continued: “A second observed lesion…resembles a bite or claw mark consistent with carnivore activity,”

“The injury displays clear signs of healing.”

Researchers think that the healing signals that the young man was cared for by the community.

That may have included “pain relief and inflammation prevention”.

But despite that, he would’ve survived with life-changing injuries.

“It is clear that after surviving, the young male preserved heavy alterations to his appearance, with deep scars on his head, arms, and legs,” Nadezhda said.

“Possible cut muscle and tendon fibres on the arm and legs led to a high level of disability and difficulties in the movement of the limbs.”

She added: “It is possible that he also needed support in locomotion over short distances in his everyday life.”

The youngster was buried in a crouched position on the left side, with his hand bones placed in front of his face.

But he wasn’t buried with any grave goods.

And researchers think that the type of burial signalled that the youngster “remained in a low social position”.

They added: “His individual life experience, possible intimidating behaviour and appearance could have made him an extraordinary and dangerous dead, demanding deeper deposition.

“In later sources from the Bulgarian traditional culture, people with strange appearances or scars were regarded as harmful and prevented from many social activities.

“In some cases, the disabled remained ‘different, special, excluded and extraordinary’.

“In this case, lying the body of the individual from Grave #59 in a deeper pit was probably for protection from the ‘dangerous’ deceased.”

But the signs of treatment did signal that “members of this late Eneolithic society provided support to injured individuals”.

This research was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.