Extensive archaeological research has shown that male crusaders killed

Question

Extensive archaeological research has shown that male crusaders killed during battle in the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099-1287 AD) were buried on their backs with both their hands and their feet clasped. During archaeological excavations of a crusader burial ground three miles from the ancient city of Jerusalem, a skeleton of a woman was found buried on her back with both her hands and feet clasped. The archaeologist conducting the excavation hypothesized that this skeleton belonged to a female crusader killed in battle.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the archaeologist's hypothesis?

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the archaeologist's hypothesis?

(A) No written material depicting crusader-period battles mentions female crusaders fighting alongside the men.

(B) A coin found near the fingers of the skeleton portrays a relief of king Baldwin II of Jerusalem who died in 1131.

(C) When the female skeleton was examined more closely in a lab, an arrowhead was found within the rib cage.

(D) New research in physical sociology shows that women in peripheral parts of the mediaeval christian world sometimes fought alongside men as early as the fourteenth century.

(E) Numismatic and metallurgical research of metal artifacts found throughout the burial ground shows a strong indication of thirteenth century activity and signs of armed conflict nearby.

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ManifestDreamMBA · Answer

Extensive archaeological research has shown that male crusaders killed during battle in the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099-1287 AD) were buried on their backs with both their hands and their feet clasped. During archaeological excavations of a crusader burial ground three miles from the ancient city of Jerusalem, a skeleton of a woman was found buried on her back with both her hands and feet clasped. The archaeologist conducting the excavation hypothesized that this skeleton belonged to a female crusader killed in battle.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the archaeologist's hypothesis?

We need something which confirms the timing and that the female was a crusader

(A) No written material depicting crusader-period battles mentions female crusaders fighting alongside the men.  That doesn't mean they weren't there

(B) A coin found near the fingers of the skeleton portrays a relief of king Baldwin II of Jerusalem who died in 1131.  Only confirms the timing, she could have been a civilian too
 
(C) When the female skeleton was examined more closely in a lab, an arrowhead was found within the rib cage.  This shows that the women was probably a crusader because of the arrowhead. Keep

(D) New research in physical sociology shows that women in peripheral parts of the mediaeval christian world sometimes fought alongside men as early as the fourteenth century.  The timing is off

(E) Numismatic and metallurgical research of metal artifacts found throughout the burial ground shows a strong indication of thirteenth century activity and signs of armed conflict nearby.  This is confirming the war and the timing not the female crusader. C looks better

Triptiiii · Answer

Extensive archaeological research has shown that male crusaders killed during battle in the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099-1287 AD) were buried on their backs with both their hands and their feet clasped. During archaeological excavations of a crusader burial ground three miles from the ancient city of Jerusalem, a skeleton of a woman was found buried on her back with both her hands and feet clasped. The archaeologist conducting the excavation hypothesized that this skeleton belonged to a female crusader killed in battle.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the archaeologist's hypothesis?

The archaelogists found a women's skeleton in a crusader burial ground and based on that how she's buried (hands and feet clasped, on her back) they say that "she must have been a female crusader in the battle"

But that's just an hypothesis. Now we need to support it.

(A) No written material depicting crusader-period battles mentions female crusaders fighting alongside the men.
 This is actually  against the idea . If no one mentioned women in battles, maybe the skeleton wasn't one either. So  does NOT support .

(B) A coin found near the fingers of the skeleton portrays a relief of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem, who died in 1131.
 This tells us about the time period, but doesn't prove that the women fought in the battle. Hence,  no support.

(C) When the female skeleton was examined more closely in a lab, an arrowhead was found within the rib cage.
 If an arrow is lodged in her rib cage, then she was attacked and killed in the battle. So, this  strongly supports  the hypothesis.

(D) New research in physical sociology shows that women in peripheral parts of the medieval christian world sometimes fought alongside men as early as the fourteenth century.
  Irrelevant . This is about 1300s, but the crusader period ended in 1287.

(E) Numismatic and metallurgical research of metal artifacts found throughout the burial ground shows a strong indication of thirteenth century activity and signs of armed conflict nearby.
 This is kind of relevant. It says that there was a fight in the area, but doesn't proves that a women was invloved. Hence,  weak support .

Final Answer: C
 
 Hope it helps!

Ann321 · Answer

I eliminated c option because no where it mentions that the skeleton dates back to 13th century whereas option E mentions both time frame and conflict. Please clarify.

mashedk · Answer

Couldn't you by chance be hit by an arrow. In essence C has the same problem as E does it not? I went with B because the potential marking shows a recognition by the king that Crusaders might have had.

xyz12345678 · Answer

I myself am not convinced with C for the reason u mentioned but that is the only one left after POE.The problem with B is that it isnt definite in proving it was a woman

Bunuel · Answer

OFFICIAL EXPLANATION

Extensive archaeological research has shown that male crusaders killed during battle in the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem (1099-1287 AD) were buried on their backs with both their hands and their feet clasped. During archaeological excavations of a crusader burial ground three miles from the ancient city of Jerusalem, a skeleton of a woman was found buried on her back with both her hands and feet clasped. The archaeologist conducting the excavation hypothesized that this skeleton belonged to a female crusader killed in battle.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the archaeologist's hypothesis?

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the archaeologist's hypothesis?

(A) No written material depicting crusader-period battles mentions female crusaders fighting alongside the men.

Incorrect.

To solve this Conclusion Strengthening question, first break down the argument. The first two sentences are premises which provide factual data. The last sentence contains the archaeologist's conclusion, marked by the conclusion word hypothesized:

Premise A: male crusaders that died in battle were buried in a certain way
 +
Premise B: a female skeleton was found buried in the same way in a crusader burial ground
 =
Archaeologist's hypothesis: the skeleton belonged to a female crusader who died in battle

Strengthening Data: ?

You are required to find data that supports the hypothesis that the skeleton belonged to a female fighter.

The fact that there is a lack of material describing female crusaders fighting in battle weakens the conclusion that the skeleton in question belonged to a female crusader. However, we should be trying to strengthen this conclusion.

(B) A coin found near the fingers of the skeleton portrays a relief of king Baldwin II of Jerusalem who died in 1131.

Incorrect.

This answer choice neither weakens nor strengthens the hypothesis. As we already know that the skeleton was buried in a crusader-period cemetery, the coin itself doesn't give us any evidence supporting the conclusion that the woman it belonged to was killed in battle.

(C) When the female skeleton was examined more closely in a lab, an arrowhead was found within the rib cage.

This answer choice strengthens the hypothesis, since there is a good chance that the arrowhead once belonged to an arrow. Therefore, this statement supports the archaeologist's conclusion that the skeleton belonged to a woman crusader killed in battle.

(D) New research in physical sociology shows that women in peripheral parts of the mediaeval christian world sometimes fought alongside men as early as the fourteenth century.

Incorrect.

To solve this Conclusion Strengthening question, first break down the argument. The first two sentences are premises which provide factual data. The last sentence contains the archaeologist's conclusion, marked by the conclusion word hypothesized:

Premise A: male crusaders that died in battle were buried in a certain way
 +
Premise B: a female skeleton was found buried in the same way in a crusader burial ground
 =
Archaeologist's hypothesis: the skeleton belonged to a female crusader who died in battle

Strengthening Data: ?

You are required to find data that supports the hypothesis that the skeleton belonged to a female fighter.

While this answer choice could have strengthened the conclusion, it applies to the 14th century or later, whereas the cemetery was used by a kingdom which never made it past the 13th century (we are told that the Kingdom of Jerusalem ended in 1287). Therefore, this answer choice provides information that is irrelevant to the argument.

(E) Numismatic and metallurgical research of metal artifacts found throughout the burial ground shows a strong indication of thirteenth century activity and signs of armed conflict nearby.

Incorrect.

This answer choice neither weakens nor strengthens the hypothesis. There is no need to know what numismatic or metallurgical means to eliminate this one since it gives us no new evidence supporting the conclusion. We already know this is a crusader burial ground and that crusader men were killed in battle. We are interested in a specific female skeleton.

Extensive archaeological research has shown that male crusaders killed

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Extensive archaeological research has shown that male crusaders killed

Prep Toolkit

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards