This research investigates the impact of socioeconomic developments on the physical condition of medieval populations in Holland and Zeeland between AD 1000 and 1600 through the analysis of... Show more This research investigates the impact of socioeconomic developments on the physical condition of medieval populations in Holland and Zeeland between AD 1000 and 1600 through the analysis of human skeletal remains from three archaeological sites. In a brief period of time, this region went from being scarcely populated to an area characterised by expanding urban centres and flourishing trade systems. These large scale developments had an impact on the daily lives of medieval people. Focusing on several skeletal indicators of disease, activity, and diet, this research has studied the physical consequences of medieval socioeconomic developments from a hitherto unexplored perspective. Although differences are observed between the skeletal collections, the key finding is the absence of a marked distinction between town and country. The noted variations in skeletal indicators of disease, activity, and diet are minor and do not support the traditional idea that towns and villages in medieval Holland and Zeeland had become worlds apart. While urban living is frequently associated with negative consequences, this is not supported by this research. Especially in terms of disease, a more nuanced view is necessary. While the risks appear to have been different, one living environment cannot be considered better than the other. Show less
One-hundred-and-forty-five unmarked graves were accidentally uncovered outside the Gladstone cemetery in Kimberley, South Africa, in 2003. This study aimed to describe the archaeological findings,... Show moreOne-hundred-and-forty-five unmarked graves were accidentally uncovered outside the Gladstone cemetery in Kimberley, South Africa, in 2003. This study aimed to describe the archaeological findings, demographic composition and health of the unknown human remains excavated from the site. Fifteen graves containing 107 skeletons were exhumed from the trench and analyzed using standard anthropometric techniques. Archaeological and palaeopathological evidence suggested that the remains were most likely those of migrant mine workers who died between 1897 and 1900, with the majority of the population consisting of young male individuals of low socio-economic status. The prevalence of infectious diseases observed in the sample, most likely reflects the pre-antibiotic era from which these individuals came as well as the overcrowded and unhygienic living conditions to which they were exposed on a daily basis. High frequencies of cranial and long bone fractures observed are testimony to the high levels of interpersonal violence and hazardous mining environment described in archival documents. Other pathological lesions such as spondylolysis, Schm_rl's nodes and enthesophytes are possibly indicative of the physical demands associated with mining activities. These results support reports describing the appalling conditions and hazards to which migrant mine workers were exposed to in the late nineteenth century Show less
