Iron Age mass grave reveals unprecedented violence against women and children

Nature

by Katie Kavanagh

February 23, 2026

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A groundbreaking discovery at Gomolava in southeastern Europe has unveiled a mass grave containing the remains of 77 women and children who were victims of targeted violence during the ninth century. This finding, published in *Nature Human Behaviour*, represents an unprecedented case of gendered violence from the early Iron Age, challenging previous assumptions about the treatment of women and children in ancient societies. The study reveals that these individuals were not related but shared similar origins, with many likely originating outside the region. The absence of infectious agents suggests the deaths were not due to disease but rather a coordinated act of mass violence. The discovery challenges long-held theories about why groups of women and children were targeted. Previous research often assumed they were captured for ransom, labor, or marriage, but this site indicates a shift toward systematic massacres. Bioarchaeological and genetic analyses reveal that the victims were unrelated and likely part of migrating or settled communities. This aligns with historical accounts of social upheaval in ninth-century Europe, marked by population movements and conflicts between migrant groups. The findings provide fresh insights into early Iron Age power dynamics and gender relations. The study’s co-author, Linda Fibiger, highlights the scale and selectivity of the violence as “certainly new” to researchers studying this period. Mario Novak, a bioarchaeologist in Croatia, notes that such a gendered pattern of violence has not been observed in 20 years of research. The absence of related victims further suggests the massacre was aimed at specific groups rather than entire families or communities. This discovery

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Originally published on Nature on 2/23/2026