13th century mass graves filled with victims of Mongol invaders found in Russia

A series of 'death pits' containing 300 bodies have been discovered in Russia. The grisly site, which was found in the city of Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow, likely dates back to the Mongol invasion of Europe in 1238. During this time, Genghis Khan's grandson, Batu Khan, decimated entire communities in his brutal - and bloodthirsty - bid for power.

A total of 300 skeletons have been unearthed in the city of Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow
[Credit: Institute of Archaeology, Russian Academy of Science]

Now, thanks to scientific advances, DNA evidence has revealed that three of the victims were related and killed together: a grandmother, a mother and a grandson.

Experts from Russia's Institute of Archaeology, plus the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, have now analysed the remains to paint a clearer picture of the victims, whose bodies were dumped in one of nine mass graves.

The site, found in the city of Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow, likely dates back to 1238[Credit: Institute of Archaeology, Russian Academy of Science]

The matriarch was at least 55 years-old, her daughter was around 30 to 40 years-old and the grandson was no more than 20.  Although DNA confirms they were blood relatives, it was somewhat obvious to anthropologists - they all shared certain skull features, and all of their skeletons showed signs of spina bifida, a hereditary birth defect that produces an underdeveloped spinal cord.

Further evidence of the murdered family's wealth was detected in their teeth. Their remains showed more advanced tooth decay than in the other townsfolk, hinting that the family's diet included regular helpings of honey and sugar — a sign of elevated status. Genetic analysis also pinpointed a possible fourth family member, a maternal relative, buried nearby, the scientists said.

These human skulls display clear evidence of brute force, which was most likely the result
of the Mongolians invading their communities [Credit: Institute of Archaeology,
Russian Academy of Science]

The life stages of preserved maggots in the remains indicated that the flies laid their eggs on the corpses in warm weather - which suggests that the bodies were decomposing in the open for months before being buried.

"These people were killed, and their bodies remained lying in the snow for a fairly long time," said Asya Engovatova, head of excavations at the Yaroslavl site and deputy director of the Institute of Archaeology at the Russian Academy of Sciences.

The grave was uncovered near a burned-down homestead beneath a demolished cathedral[Credit: Institute of Archaeology, Russian Academy of Science]

"In April or May, flies started to multiply on the remains, and in late May or early June, they were buried in a pit on the homestead, which is where they probably had lived," Engovatova said.

The data was presented at at the Alekseyev Readings conference in Moscow. Though scholars have argued that Khan's Golden Horde peacefully acquired territory in Russia, the gruesome evidence at Yaroslavl proves otherwise, the scientists said.

Experts from Russia's Institute of Archaeology have now analysed the remains to paint a clearer
 picture of the victims, whose bodies were dumped in one of nine mass graves [Credit: Institute of Archaeology, Russian Academy of Science]

Signs of brutality were seen in the hundreds of hastily-buried bodies, their bones punctured, broken and burned. By the time the Mongol invaders were done with Yaroslavl and the Russian town had fallen, it was truly a 'city drowned in blood,' the horrific fate of its residents later woven into legend, the team added.

Nine burial pits linked to the invasion have been found in the area so far[Credit: Institute of Archaeology, Russian Academy of Science]

"Batu Khan's conquest was the greatest national tragedy, surpassing any other event in cruelty and destruction," Engovatova said. "It is not by chance that it is among the few such events that made its way into the Russian folklore."

See also: Genes reveal kinship between three victims of Mongol army in 1238 massacre

Author: Peter LLoyd | Source: Daily Mail [September 07, 2019]