Ancient Teen, "Il Principe," Died in Bear Attack 28,000 Years Ago

Archaeologists have determined that a teenage boy, known as "Il Principe" (the Prince), who was buried nearly 28,000 years ago in a cave in northern Italy, died from a bear attack. The burial site included a shell cap and a flint blade in his hand, hinting at the significance of the individual.

Vitale Sparacello, a bioarchaeologist at the University of Cagliari, commented on the circumstances:

"The individual likely lost consciousness and did not regain it." He noted that while ancient people hunted bears and bears generally avoid humans, a chance encounter was possible.

Investigation Uncovers Ancient Trauma

Sparacello and his team meticulously examined the skeletal remains of "Il Principe," which were originally excavated from the Arene Candide cave in Liguria in 1942. When the remains were first discovered, excavators suspected significant trauma due to visible damage to the left shoulder, neck, and lower jaw bones. However, no official analysis was published at the time, and the skeleton was reassembled and displayed after World War II.

Researchers recently obtained permission to remove specific bones for magnified examination, photography, and 3D surface modeling. Their detailed analysis confirmed substantial shoulder and facial trauma around the time of death, providing crucial insights into the boy's demise. The findings were published in the Journal of Anthropological Sciences in December.

Specific Injuries Point to Carnivore Attack

Further analysis of the skeletal remains revealed specific injuries consistent with a large carnivore attack. A 0.4-inch (10-millimeter) linear mark on the left side of the skull, beneath the shell cap, was identified as consistent with a claw swipe. Additionally, a teardrop-shaped depression on the right ankle suggested an injury from a cone-shaped object, such as a tooth.

"The nature and pattern of the lesions depicted a scenario of fatal mauling by a large carnivore."

Based on animals present in Late Pleistocene archaeological sites in Italy, the researchers concluded that the attack was likely by a brown bear (Ursus arctos) or the extinct cave bear (Ursus spelaeus).

Unexpected Survival and Elaborate Burial

Microscopic evidence of bone healing indicated that "Il Principe" surprisingly survived the initial attack for up to three days. Given the extent of the injuries, researchers noted that even this short period of survival was unexpected. They hypothesized that major blood vessels were spared, and death may have resulted from secondary brain injury, internal hemorrhage, or multiple organ failure.

Sparacello suggested that the adolescent was likely not alone and received immediate care from his group, whose activities at the time remain unknown.

"Il Principe" is the oldest burial found in the Arene Candide cave, dating to approximately 28,000 to 27,400 years ago. He was between 14 and 17 years old at the time of his death. His burial was remarkably elaborate, placed on a bed of red ocher and adorned with a magnificent headdress of hundreds of perforated shells and deer teeth. Ivory pendants were also found, along with a flint blade from southern France. A lump of yellow ocher was positioned near his damaged shoulder, neck, and jaw.

The researchers propose that this rich, formal burial may reflect a community's ritual response to the traumatic event, perhaps honoring the boy's tragic and violent death.

Future research may include advanced techniques such as amelogenin testing for biological sex determination or a full genetic study, though destructive analysis on these precious remains is performed sparingly.