A sunken ship of the desert at the river Danube in Tulln, Austria

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 1;10(4):e0121235. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121235. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Rescue excavations recovered a skeleton that resurrect the contemporary dramatic history of Austria in the 17th century as troops besieged Vienna in the second Osmanic-Habsburg war. Unique for Central Europe is the evidence of a completely preserved camel skeleton uncovered in a large refuse pit. The male individual of slender stature indicates a few but characteristic pathological changes revealing not a beast of burden but probably a valuable riding animal. Anatomical and morphometrical analyses suggest a hybrid confirmed by the ancient DNA analyses resulting in the presence of a dromedary in the maternal and a Bactrian camel in the paternal line.

Publication types

  • Historical Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Austria
  • Camelus / genetics*
  • Camelus / physiology
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / analysis
  • DNA, Mitochondrial / isolation & purification
  • History, 18th Century
  • Male
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Rivers
  • Ships / history
  • Skull / anatomy & histology
  • Skull / metabolism

Substances

  • DNA, Mitochondrial