Pilum versus Ballista - Skull Evidence

[Nerva]

Last August and September Tom Feeley and Alan Wilkins did some research into the effect of pilum and ballista bolts on skulls. This has been used to make a documentary for the History channel which I do not think has been shown yet. They used a standard Pilum, a manuballista and a 3-span.

Anyway, the results we're interesting and Tom Feeley has given me permission to discuss them with you. A number of sheep skulls we're used. Now I appreciate that human skulls would have been a better target, unfortunately the local sheep we're prettier so they won out :wink:

The pilum produced the same results every time, they stuck into the skull and left a perfect square hole when removed - no shattering or irregular holes, nice and neat square holes.

The ballista bolt on the other hand 'Always' shattered the skull - no neat hole, either a shattered skull of a bloody big irregular hole.

So, I think it's reasonable to assume that the skull found at Maiden Castle and elsewhere with neat square holes were the result of Pila, not ballista bolts.