Emily Chan
A set of centuries-old human remains have been uncovered in Scotland, and they point to the violence that occurred along the border of the Anglo-Scottish region.
They were found by a team from Border Reivers Archaeology Unit (BRAU) during utility work at the parish church in Swinton Village, which is located approximately three miles from the Scottish border with England.
Overall, the team recovered 124 bone fragments and two loose teeth belonging to at least five different individuals—two adults and three juveniles.
After analyzing the remains, experts discovered that the individuals had suffered several traumatic injuries around the time of their deaths. Some bones showed signs of being gnawed and chewed by a large dog or wolf.
The history of Swinton Village dates back to the early medieval period when it was once a part of England. In A.D. 973, Edgar, King of the English, granted the territory to Kenneth II, King of Scots.
Over the following centuries, the kingdoms of England and Scotland were engaged in conflicts. In 1296, the English invaded Scotland, kickstarting the First War of Scottish Independence.
The Anglo-Scottish wars ended in 1603 with the Union of the Crowns. But still, conflicts between the two kingdoms persisted into the 17th century.
Between the 13th and 17th centuries, groups of people from Scotland and England called border reivers conducted raids along the border. They did so to obtain livestock and other supplies.
In A.D. 1100, the Swinton Parish Church was built. Later, its grounds were used as a place of shelter during the major period of Anglo-Scottish conflict. According to Shannon Armstrong with BRAU, Swinton was attacked a minimum of four times between 1487 and 1593.
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