Victims of the Batavia mutiny: Physical anthropological and forensic studies of the Beacon Island skeletons

The story of the mutiny on the Houtman Abrolhos (Western Australia), following the stranding of the VOC ship Batavia in 1629, is well known from the journal of Francisco Pelsaert, the upper merchant of the ship (Jansz, 1647), and various subsequent translations and interpretations of this document (Drake-Brockman, 1995; Roeper, 1994; Van Huystee, 1998). Of approximately 255 people stranded on the islands, around 20 died of thirst and illness during the first week or so, while 125 were murdered over a two-month period before Pelsaert returned with a rescue ship. Among the crew and passengers of the Batavia, and thus among the victims, were men, women and children; sailors, soldiers and civilians, including people of various nationalities and social backgrounds. A special part was played by the Predicant's family, who, apart from the Predicant himself and his eldest daughter, were all killed during a single night.