Bio-cultural effects in medieval populations.
Male skeletons from medieval archaeological sites are analysed to assess differences in stature and body proportions related to the bio-cultural environment, such as social, economic, and health factors. Environmental factors, such as climate change in the course of the Middle Ages, did not have statistically significant effect on body proportions in these samples. The results show a relationship between bio-cultural factors and physique in the analysed populations that indicate stunted growth in height and weight in a leprosarium population with a low socio-economic and health status. A high-status monastic population is characterised by a stocky build, i.e., increased weight for height and relatively shorter limbs, while a medieval parish population has a linear build, i.e., relatively long limbs for height and decreased weight for height. These characteristics, relative weight for height and relative limb length, changed during the course of the Middle Ages, as did stature.
Department of Archaeological Sciences, Biological Anthropology Research Centre, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK. m.schweich@bradford.ac.uk
Marianne
M
Schweich
Christopher
C
Knüsel
D000886:Anthropometry; D001106:Archaeology; D001824:Body Constitution; D001846:Bone Development; D004739:England; D006304:Health Status; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors