This paper explores the nature and extent of conflict in Late Neolithic Europe based on expanded skeletal evidence for violence from the San Juan ante Portam Latinam rockshelter in present-day Spain (ca. 3380–3000 cal. BC). The systematic osteological re-examination has identified 65 unhealed and 89 healed traumas—of which 77 were previously undocumented—consistent with aggression. They affect 23.1% of the 338 individuals represented. Adolescent and adult males are particularly affected (44.9% of the 107 identified), comprising 97.6% of unhealed trauma and 81.7% of healed trauma recorded in individuals whose sex could be estimated and showing higher frequencies of injuries per individual than other demographic subgroups. Results suggest that many individuals, essentially men, were exposed to violence and eventually killed in battle and raids, since warriorship is mainly restricted to this demographic in many societies. The proportion of casualties is likely to have been far greater than indicated by the 10.1% individuals exhibiting unhealed trauma, given the presence of isolated cases of unhealed postcranial trauma and of arrowheads potentially having impacted into soft tissues. This, together with skeletal indicators of poor health and the possible socioeconomic outcomes evidenced in the region, suggest wider social impacts, which may relate to a more sophisticated and formalized way of warfare than previously appreciated in the European Neolithic record.

本文基于当今西班牙圣胡安前波塔姆拉丁岩石避难所（约公元前 3380 年至公元前 3000 年）的暴力骨骼证据，探讨了新石器时代晚期欧洲冲突的性质和程度。系统性骨学复查已发现 65 处未愈合的创伤和 89 处已治愈的创伤（其中 77 处之前未记录）与攻击性行为相符。他们影响了 338 名代表中的 23.1%。青少年和成年男性尤其受到影响（已确定的 107 名男性中的 44.9%），其中记录的未治愈创伤占 97.6%，已治愈创伤占 81.7%，其性别可以估计，并且显示每个人受伤的频率高于其他人口亚组。结果表明，许多人，主要是男性，遭受暴力并最终在战斗和袭击中丧生，因为在许多社会中，战士主要局限于这一人群。考虑到存在未愈合的颅后创伤和箭头可能撞击软组织的孤立病例，伤亡比例可能远远高于表现出未愈合创伤的 10.1% 的人所显示的比例。再加上该地区健康状况不佳的骨骼指标以及可能出现的社会经济后果，表明了更广泛的社会影响，这可能与欧洲新石器时代记录中先前认识到的更加复杂和正式的战争方式有关。