A Sunken Ship of the Desert at the River Danube in Tulln, Austria

<div><p>Rescue excavations recovered a skeleton that resurrect the contemporary dramatic history of Austria in the 17^th 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.</p></div

Left and right scapulae, enlarged view of both anguli caudales depict symmetrically formed pathological bone depositions on the medial side.

<p>Left and right scapulae, enlarged view of both anguli caudales depict symmetrically formed pathological bone depositions on the medial side.</p

Bivariate scatterplots of radius, metacarpus, femur and metatarsus indicating size and robustness of the Tulln specimen by greatest length (GL) and smallest diameter of the shaft (SD) in comparison to data obtained from Steiger [17].

<p>Bivariate scatterplots of radius, metacarpus, femur and metatarsus indicating size and robustness of the Tulln specimen by greatest length (GL) and smallest diameter of the shaft (SD) in comparison to data obtained from Steiger [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0121235#pone.0121235.ref017" target="_blank">17</a>].</p

Quantification of recovered skeletal elements of the Tulln specimen.

<p>Quantification of recovered skeletal elements of the Tulln specimen.</p

a) Left anterior phalanges in 1) palmar- and 2) dorsal view, b) right anterior phalanges in 1) palmar- and 2) dorsal view.

<p>a) Left anterior phalanges in 1) palmar- and 2) dorsal view, b) right anterior phalanges in 1) palmar- and 2) dorsal view.</p

Left metatarsus: a) in dorsal- and b) in plantar view, right metatarsus: c) in dorsal- and d) in plantar view.

<p>Left metatarsus: a) in dorsal- and b) in plantar view, right metatarsus: c) in dorsal- and d) in plantar view.</p

a) Left posterior phalanges in 1) plantar- and 2) dorsal view, b) right posterior phalanges in 1) plantar- and 2) dorsal view.

<p>a) Left posterior phalanges in 1) plantar- and 2) dorsal view, b) right posterior phalanges in 1) plantar- and 2) dorsal view.</p

Diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to differentiate hybrids between dromedary and Bactrian camel.

<p>Diagnostic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to differentiate hybrids between dromedary and Bactrian camel.</p

Reconstructed Tulu cranium of the Tulln specimen.

<p>Reconstructed Tulu cranium of the Tulln specimen.</p

Left metacarpus: a) in dorsal- and b) in palmar view, right metacarpus: c) in dorsal- and d) in palmar view.

<p>Left metacarpus: a) in dorsal- and b) in palmar view, right metacarpus: c) in dorsal- and d) in palmar view.</p