A month in a horse’s life: healing process of a fractured third metatarsal bone from medieval Viljandi, Estonia.

This research evaluates the healing process of a horse’s broken bone from medieval times and posits theories about the treatment methods and possible reasons for the animal receiving prolonged care.

Discovery and Location

• The study was initiated following the discovery of a horse’s hind foot, specifically the third metatarsal bone and three phalanges, in Viljandi, Estonia. The bone fragments were found in what is believed to be the waste pit of a wealthy medieval household.
• The incident in question was dated back to the period between the second half of the 13th century and the beginning of the 15th century. The bone being analyzed had been broken during the horse’s lifetime and showed evidence of partial healing. This was the key driver for the research as it indicated a period of treatment and potential methodologies of animal healthcare during that era.

Research Methodology

• The researchers utilized archaeological, zooarchaeological, morphological, microscopic, densitometric, and radiographic analyses to examine the bones and understand their healing process more clearly.
• Each of these techniques enabled a different perspective on the historical event. Microscopic and densitometric analyses provided insights into the microscopic alterations during healing and the relative bone density, while radiographic analysis offered interior images of the bones.

Evaluation and Conclusion

• The injury was identified as a stable, completely comminuted fracture, most likely caused by a strong impact. Comminuted fractures are breaks or splinters of the bone into more than two fragments. Since such injuries often result from substantial force, it gives a hint about possible trauma to the horse.
• The researchers inferred from bone healing indicators like callus formation and worn edges of the separated diaphysis that the horse survived for at least a month after the injury and continued to use the injured foot, signifying resilient survival instincts of the animal.
• The researchers hypothesized that the medieval healers treated the horse’s fractured foot by splinting and kept the animal standing during the healing process.
• It was also concluded that the horse either succumbed to a wound infection or was eventually killed. However, the fact that the horse was given care over a relatively long period suggested its economic or emotional value to its keepers during that time.