Anglo-Saxon Girl Had Her Nose And Lips Cut Off As Punishment, Shows Skull

[Judi Lynn]

10/02/2020 07:00:00 PM

An Anglo-Saxon teenage girl appears to have had her nose and lips cut off — and possibly her head scalped as well — analysis of an old skull has revealed.



Skull of young Anglo-Saxon girl, front view with cuts and back view
with unfused sutures [Credit: Garrard Cole, Antiquity]

Unearthed in Oakridge, Hampshire, the remains have been radiocarbon dated to 776–899 AD — predating written accounts of this gruesome form of punishment.

Although it is not known exactly why the poor young woman was subject to the horrific facial mutilation, it was once routinely meted out to female offenders.

The disfigurement was given to adulteresses, slaves who stole and criminals guilty of more severe acts, the researchers reported.

British experts who studied the skull — which was dug up in the 1960s — said that it belonged to a 15–18 year old, who likely died directly from her injuries.

'This case appears to be the first archaeological example of this particularly brutal form of facial disfigurement known from Anglo-Saxon England,' the team — led by archaeologist Garrard Cole of University College London — wrote in their paper.

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