Bioarchaeological Study of Trauma and Violence in Skeletal Populations from the Benue Valley

Bioarchaeological analysis of skeletal trauma provides one of the most direct lines of evidence for past violence, conflict, and physical stress in ancient and historic populations, yet Nigerian populations have rarely been subjected to systematic bioarchaeological investigation despite the region's documented history of inter-community conflict, slave raiding, and warfare. This study examines patterns of trauma and potential violence in skeletal populations recovered from burial contexts at three sites in the Benue Valley spanning the Iron Age to the recent pre-colonial period. A total of ninety-three skeletal individuals from formally excavated or salvage-collected contexts were analysed for evidence of ante-mortem and peri-mortem traumatic injury using standardized bioarchaeological protocols that distinguish between healed injuries, injuries at or near time of death, and post-mortem taphonomic damage. Results indicate a prevalence of healed cranial trauma ranging from twelve to twenty-two percent across site populations, with peri-mortem cranial injuries identified in a smaller but significant proportion of individuals at two sites. Weapon-specific injury patterns including parry fractures and sharp-force cranial lesions are documented at the site with the highest overall trauma frequency, providing evidence for interpersonal violence and possibly organized conflict. Demographic analysis of trauma distribution reveals a male-biased pattern in peri-mortem injuries, while healed trauma is more evenly distributed, consistent with a pattern of combat-related acute violence alongside more diffuse daily-life physical stress. The study situates findings within the documented historical context of slave raiding and inter-ethnic conflict in the Benue Valley. Keywords: bioarchaeology, skeletal trauma, violence, Benue Valley, pre-colonial conflict.