Matzke 選擇了以上五個考古發掘作為他的分析對象,分別是英國約克郡費西爾門(Fishergate)聖安德魯教堂墓園遺址、英國約克群陶頓戰役(battle of Towton)遺址、瑞典古特蘭島(Gotland)的維斯比戰役(battle of Wisby)遺址、瑞典烏普撒拉(Uppsala)聖週五戰役(battle of Good Friday)遺址,以及挪威奧斯陸聖瑪麗教堂遺址。以下將分別介紹各遺址中戰士遺骨的創傷分布。
左圖,瑞典古特蘭島的維斯比戰役遺址。圖/By Wagstaffe, C. “Were Warriors Trained to Fight?” Unpublished MSc dissertation, University of Bradford, 2011;右圖,諾曼鳶形盾。圖/By Wendelin Boeheim, Public Domain, wikimedia commons
瑞典烏普撒拉(Uppsala)聖週五戰役(battle of Good Friday)遺址
1520 年,60 名死者。
絕大多數的利器傷分布於後腦、頭頂和臉部。
瑞典烏普撒拉聖週五戰役遺址。圖/By Wagstaffe, C. “Were Warriors Trained to Fight?” Unpublished MSc dissertation, University of Bradford, 2011
為了解答這個問題,Matzke 找來了現代依照手稿復原史實歐洲武術(HEMA, Historical European Martial Arts)的武術團體來進行實驗,作為考古資料的對照。他將實驗的項目共分成三組:劍與小圓盾(sword and buckler)、劍盾(sword and shield)、雙手武器(長劍 longword、長柄武器 polearm),並請 14 名參與者依組別進行自由對打(free sparring),最後再回報被攻擊的部位。
劍與小圓盾造成的創傷分布。圖/By Wagstaffe, C. “Were Warriors Trained to Fight?” Unpublished MSc dissertation, University of Bradford, 2011劍與小圓盾。圖/Wiktenauer劍與鳶形盾造成的創傷分布。圖/By Wagstaffe, C. “Were Warriors Trained to Fight?” Unpublished MSc dissertation, University of Bradford, 2011劍與鳶形盾。圖/Wiktenauer
現代的長劍對打造成的傷害。圖/By Wagstaffe, C. “Were Warriors Trained to Fight?” Unpublished MSc dissertation, University of Bradford, 2011現代的長劍對打。圖/Vor& Nach 史實歐洲武術會
以能量散射X光譜檢驗普里維儂的牆壁砂漿,會發現富含鈣質(紅色)的大塊石灰顆粒,周遭則有鈣、硫(黃)形成的環狀自癒痕跡。Source: Source: Linda M. Seymour et al. ,Hot mixing: Mechanistic insights into the durability of ancient Roman concrete.Sci. Adv.9,eadd1602(2023). CC by 4.0
馬西奇團隊指出,在古羅馬學者維特魯威(Vitruvius)和老普林尼(Pliny the Elder)的記載中,當時對混凝土原料之一的石灰石(limestone, CaCo3 . 碳酸鈣)純化標準相當嚴格,成品必須要呈現純白粉狀。因此他們認為,混凝土中普遍存在的石灰塊不是古羅馬建材商品管鬆散所致,而是刻意加入的材料。
石灰塊在古羅馬混凝土中的自癒運作機制。Source: Linda M. Seymour et al. ,Hot mixing: Mechanistic insights into the durability of ancient Roman concrete.Sci. Adv.9,eadd1602(2023). CC by 4.0
Linda M. Seymour et al. ,Hot mixing: Mechanistic insights into the durability of ancient Roman concrete.Sci. Adv.9,eadd1602(2023).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.add1602
Vaserman, E., Weaver, J.C., Hayhow, C. et al. An unfinished Pompeian construction site reveals ancient Roman building technology. Nat Commun 16, 10847 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-66634-7