14 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Mass graves of Crusaders killed in the 13th century have been discovered in Lebanon

From 1096 to 1291, waves of Europeans took up arms and marched into the Middle East. They hope to “take back” the Holy Land. But many of these Christian crusaders never returned home, and a mass grave found in Lebanon provided grisly evidence of their violent deaths.

Much of what we know about crusaders’ lives and deaths come from historical documents, and while the prior studies have concentrated on human remains from crusader period cemeteries in Europe and the Middle East, relatively few conflict-related mass burial sites have been found or investigated.

At least 25 young men and teenage boys’ chipped and burned bones were discovered inside the dry moat of the remains of St. Louis Castle in Sidon, Lebanon.

A team of international researchers explains their findings from examinations of human skeletal remains unearthed at Sidon Castle on the eastern Mediterranean coast of south Lebanon in a new article published in PLoS ONE.

Their findings add to our understanding of combat throughout the Crusades, notably during the 13th century, and shed insight on crusader demography, weapon techniques, and injuries, as well as how the treatment of the dead.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



A diagram shows the extensive injuries suffered by one Crusader.
A diagram shows the extensive injuries suffered by one Crusader. Photo: Mikulski et al.

After the First Crusade, the crusaders took Sidon for the first time in 1110 CE. However, the crusaders’ military power waned in the second part of the 13th century, and they battled to retain control of the city.

The researchers used DNA and naturally existing radioactive isotopes in the men’s teeth to prove that some of them were born in Europe, and an examination of various versions, or isotopes, of carbon in their bones, indicates that they died around the year 13th century.

According to crusader chronicles, Sidon was besieged and devastated in 1253 by Mamluk soldiers, and again in 1260 by Mongols. It is highly likely that these soldiers died in one of these battles.

Some of the skeletal remains have sword wounds in the rear of the corpse, indicating that the troops were assaulted from behind and were most likely fleeing when they were killed. Others have sword wounds across the back of their necks, indicating that they may have been captured and decapitated after the conflict.

“One individual sustained so many wounds (a minimum of 12 injuries involving a minimum of 16 skeletal elements) that it may represent an incident of overkill, where considerably more violent blows were applied than was actually required to overcome or kill them,” the researchers wrote in their study. 

Dr. Piers Mitchell of the University of Cambridge, who was the crusader expert on the project, explained “Crusader records tell us that King Louis IX of France was on crusade in the Holy Land at the time of the attack on Sidon in 1253. He went to the city after the battle and personally helped to bury the rotting corpses in mass graves such as these. Wouldn’t it be amazing if King Louis himself had helped to bury these bodies?”

Mitchell continued “So many thousands of people died on all sides during the crusades, but it is incredibly rare for archaeologists to find the soldiers killed in these famous battles. The wounds that covered their bodies allow us to start to understand the horrific reality of medieval warfare,” he said.

Bournemouth University

Related Articles

Amateur makes ‘Gold Find of the Century’ in Norway

7 September 2023

7 September 2023

A Norwegian 51-year-old Erlend Bore out walking on doctors’ advice unearthed rare 6th-century gold jewellery using a newly bought metal...

Bronze Age and Roman-era settlements unearthed in Newquay

10 April 2023

10 April 2023

Archaeologists from the Cornwall Archaeological have uncovered ancient dwellings from the Bronze Age and a Roman period settlement in Newquay,...

Remains of the summer palace of Genghis Khan’s grandson, Hulagu Khan, found in eastern Turkey

7 July 2022

7 July 2022

The archeology study team, consisting of Turkish and Mongolian scientists, found important findings in the study carried out to find...

According to researchers, the bones discovered underneath St. Peter’s Basilica may not be his

5 June 2021

5 June 2021

Three Italian researchers have voiced doubts about whether St. Peter’s bones are buried underneath the Rome basilica that bears his...

Researcher found the head of the statue of Bacchus, inside a water channel near the ancient city of Cyrene in Libya

31 December 2023

31 December 2023

Libyan Archeology researcher, Issam Menfi found the head of the statue of Bacchus, which dates back to the Greek era,...

British archaeologists unearth the 1200-year-old man-made island

13 February 2022

13 February 2022

A team holding excavations and archaeological surveys on the historic Al Sayah Island in Muharraq, Bahrain found that it’s ‘man-made’,...

The ruins believed to belong to Noah’s Ark date back to 5500-3000 years BC.

26 October 2023

26 October 2023

Rock and soil samples taken from the area where the ruins of ‘Noah’s Ark‘ are believed to be located in...

8 ostrich eggs over 4,000 years old discovered near excavated firepit in Negev desert

13 January 2023

13 January 2023

Eight ostrich eggs dating between 4,000 and 7,500 years ago have been found during excavations next to a fire pit...

Anchorage’s Indigenous History: A 1000-Year-Old Dene Cache Found Near Cook Inlet

24 January 2025

24 January 2025

In June 2024, archaeologists from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) and Northern Land Use Research Alaska discovered a birch bark-lined cache...

Ancient Tamil Nadu’s Metalworking Legacy Traced Back to 3300 BCE

7 February 2025

7 February 2025

Recent archaeological research has uncovered compelling evidence that Tamil Nadu’s metalworking traditions date back to at least 3300 BCE, highlighting...

Archaeologists Unearth Carolingian Silver Treasure Hoard

6 May 2021

6 May 2021

A silver treasure hoard from the 9th century AD has been discovered in Poland‘s Osa and Drwęca basin. The hoard...

A First in Anatolia: Rare Egyptian God Statue Unearthed in Commagene’s ‘Stairway to Eternity’ Tomb

1 September 2025

1 September 2025

In the ancient city of Perre, once a flourishing capital of the Commagene Kingdom in southeastern Türkiye, archaeologists have uncovered...

Underfloor Heating System Discovered in 1,700-Year-Old Roman Bath

25 August 2025

25 August 2025

Archaeologists in eastern Türkiye have uncovered a 1,700-year-old Roman bathhouse equipped with an advanced underfloor heating system, shedding new light...

Bronze Age Settlement and Neolithic Relics Found at Skaņkalne Hillfort in Latvia

9 August 2025

9 August 2025

Archaeologists have uncovered remarkable evidence of ancient human habitation during the latest excavations at Skaņkalne Hillfort, offering fresh insights into...

Archaeologists Discover Complete 13th-Century Rare Benahoarit Vase in Tijarafe Funerary Cave on La Palma

30 August 2025

30 August 2025

A remarkable archaeological discovery in Tijarafe, a municipality on the northwestern coast of La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands, has...