Discovery of 12,000-year-old bones may reveal one of history’s earliest murder victims

The reconstructed TBH1 skull. (Image: C. M. Stimpson)

Archaeologists have uncovered ancient bones in a Vietnamese cave. The remains may belong to one of the world’s earliest homicide victims. The man, aged about 35, died roughly 12,000 years ago. Experts suggest he was killed by another human.

Discovery of TBH1: A Mysterious Ancient Death

The remains were found in Thung Binh 1 cave. This site lies in the Tràng An World Heritage area. Excavations took place between December 2017 and April 2018. The team was led by archaeologist Christopher Stimpson from Oxford University. Initial analysis showed the man was local to the area. He appeared healthy at the time of death. Yet something did not add up.

Researchers noticed the man’s skull was crushed after burial. This damage happened post mortem and was unrelated. A deeper examination revealed two key findings. First, he had a rare cervical rib. This extra rib appears in about 1% of people. Second, a quartz point was found in his grave sediment.

Quartz Point Suggests Deliberate Attack

The quartz point showed clear signs of having been shaped. It likely served as a projectile weapon. Benjamin Utting from the Smithsonian Museum said the stone was not local. It did not match any nearby artefacts. This raised questions about its origin.

Further study revealed one cervical rib had fractured. The injury also showed signs of infection. Stimpson’s team believes the quartz point struck the man’s neck. It became lodged in his cervical rib. The wound became infected, and the man grew ill. He likely died days or weeks later.

This case highlights early human-on-human violence. Other examples include Jebel Sahaba burials from 13,000 years ago. Ötzi the Iceman was also murdered 5,300 years ago. A pre-Neanderthal hominid from 430,000 years ago is the oldest known murder candidate.

The bone shows fracture trauma from several angles (left) and the stone point (right) (Image: Stimpson et al., Proc. R. Soc. B, 2025)

Why This Finding Matters

Stimpson calls the discovery exceptional for its time and region. It offers insight into ancient human behaviour and conflict. The research appears in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. It adds important evidence to human history.

Many ancient remains may hide similar stories of violence. TBH1 stands out as a clear case. Experts say more such findings are likely in the future. This finding enriches our knowledge of early human existence.