World's oldest gunshot victim

[ZMP_CTR]

June 19, 2007—A nearly 500-year-old skull sports the telltale signs of a gunshot wound from an antique firearm.

The find, discovered recently in an Inca cemetery near Lima, Peru, was the victim of a Spanish musket, according to a detailed analysis. That makes the skeleton the oldest documented gunshot victim in the New World and possibly the first person in the Americas ever to have been killed with a firearm, experts say.

National Geographic grantee Guillermo Cock led the team that uncovered the remains. It is one of 72 skeletons hastily buried at the site without the usual Inca reverence for death. (National Geographic News is part of the National Geographic Society.)

"We thought it was a person killed recently—5, 10, or 20 years ago," Cock told National Geographic News. "We didn't expect the individual would have been killed by a bullet 500 years ago."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/06/photogalleries/gunshot-pictures/index.html

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

On a related note, Carolyn McCarthy promptly called for a ban on "assault muskets" that feature "that cocking thingy on top that you pull back."

 

[Odnar]

Are they planning to prosecute?

 

[Hoppy590]

we must ban this new tool of evil! this BLACK powder its the tool of murderers and criminals! all honest men can defend themselves with a sword! and the peasenty whom we forbid to/ cant afford too/ are too busy tilling our fields to learn the sword must rely on the government. after all when in the history of the world has a government ever harmed its people!

 

[FTA84]

I don't see why the title is world's oldest.....it is clearly only North Americas oldest gun shot victim.

I am no history buff, but (primitive) guns were around for quite a bit in Europe before bringing them to the Americas. Seeing the nobleman's penchant for dueling, I am sure that it would be easy to find a gun shot victim in Europe in some elaborate grave.

 

[rdaines]

Yep, show the show. Steel musket ball blew out the guys face and killed him dead. First forensic evidence of a death in the Americas from a firearm.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

First forensic evidence of a death in the Americas from a firearm.

It isn't forensic evidence. Forensics means that it deals with the law in some manner and this isn't the case. It could be considered the first medical, physical anthropological, skeletal evidence, archaeological, or metallurgical evidence. These forms of analysis can be related, the same thing, or overlap, and are all methods that may be used in forensics, but that doesn't make the evidence forensic.

The difference is akin to using the term "clip" to refer to a gun magazine.

 

[Autolite]

I wonder if they have been able to determine the age of the deceased by examination of the skull. If the victim was under 21 the Brady Bunch will have a field day ...

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Can't tell for certain, but from the mandible next to the skull, it looks like the third molar has erupted, so the individual was likely 18 or older. The lack of suture fusion of the skull looks to indicate that the individual was less than 40.

 

[Onmilo]

Two Spaniards are sitting around in the new world drinking wine.
One looks at the other and says, "Hey, you bastard! Those are my spare pantalones!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Can't tell for certain, but from the mandible next to the skull, it looks like the third molar has erupted, so the individual was likely 18 or older. The lack of suture fusion of the skull looks to indicate that the individual was less than 40.

So...gang violence?

Looks like the Bradys can add one more to their "children killed by guns" stats.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Looks like the Bradys can add one more to their "children killed by guns" stats.

At LEAST 18 and LESS than 40. More likely it isn't in the "children" category.

 

[MechAg94]

That makes the skeleton the oldest documented gunshot victim in the New World and possibly the first person in the Americas ever to have been killed with a firearm, experts say.

I can understand saying it is the oldest documented victim, but to say it might be the first ever shows the writer flunked world history. The Spanish landed in Mexico first and took on the Aztecs. Maybe I am being too picky.

 

[Popov]

At LEAST 18 and LESS than 40. More likely it isn't in the "children" category.

Mind you, the "children" category includes "kids" up to 25 years old.

Please, Hernando de Soto, think of the "children"!

 

[gunsmith]

umm, not by a long shot.

maybe the oldest in NORTH AMERICA

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=285522

 

[Trebor]

The current issue of National Geographic also says that the 5,000 year old "Iceman" mummy found on the glacier between Italy and Switzerland was killed by an arrow to the back that severed an artery. They found the flint point under his shoulder blade in a CT scan.

There calling it a potential murder. Now *that's* a "cold case."

 

[Autolite]

I remember something about that "iceman" being killed by an arrow but I'm not sure if I read it in the National Geographic or saw it on an episode of CSI ...

 

[Elza]

Double Naught Spy: At LEAST 18 and LESS than 40. More likely it isn't in the "children" category.

Since when did facts ever mean anything to the Brady bunch?

 

[tegemu]

Not the World's oldest, not North America's oldest but The America's or more precisly South America's The Inca nation was purely western South America.