Apotropaic observances-traditional practices intended to prevent evil-were not uncommon in post-medieval Poland, and included specific treatment of the dead for those considered at risk for becoming vampires. Excavations at the Drawsko 1 cemetery (17th–18th c. AD) have revealed multiple examples (n = 6) of such deviant burials amidst hundreds of normative interments. While historic records describe the many potential reasons why some were more susceptible to vampirism than others, no study has attempted to discern differences in social identity between individuals within standard and deviant burials using biogeochemical analyses of human skeletal remains. The hypothesis that the individuals selected for apotropaic burial rites were non-local immigrants whose geographic origins differed from the local community was tested using radiogenic strontium isotope ratios from archaeological dental enamel. 87Sr/86Sr ratios ( = 0.7112±0.0006, 1σ) from the permanent molars of 60 individuals reflect a predominantly local population, with all individuals interred as potential vampires exhibiting local strontium isotope ratios. These data indicate that those targeted for apotropaic practices were not migrants to the region, but instead, represented local individuals whose social identity or manner of death marked them with suspicion in some other way. Cholera epidemics that swept across much of Eastern Europe during the 17th century may provide one alternate explanation as to the reason behind these apotropaic mortuary customs, as the first person to die from an infectious disease outbreak was presumed more likely to return from the dead as a vampire.
The identification of Harris lines through radiographic analysis has been well-established since their discovery in the late nineteenth century. Most commonly associated with stress, the study of Harris lines has been fraught with inconsistent identification standards, high levels of intra- and interobserver error, and the inevitability of skeletal remodelling. Despite these methodological challenges, the use of Harris lines remains an important contributor to studies of health in archaeological populations. This research explores the radiographic process, specifically orientation and how Harris lines are initially captured for study. Using the Black Friars (13th-mid 17th centuries) skeletal sample from Denmark, 157 individuals (134 adults; 23 subadults) were radiographically analyzed in both an anterior-posterior (A-P) and medial-lateral (M-L) view for the left and right radii and tibiae. Based on the current methodological standards within the literature, it was hypothesized that the A-P view would provide the best resolution and visualization of Harris lines. The results, however, show that the number of lines visible in the M-L view were significantly higher than those visible in the A-P view; inferring that the M-L view is superior for the study of Harris lines.
While preliminary in nature, this study was successful in demonstrating the potential use of osteocalcin in future health-related research and how the study of osteocalcin may contribute to a better understanding of how and when stress begins to affect the skeletal tissues.
The study of stress from an osteological perspective is challenging as we use skeletal remains to explore the lived experience and patterns of health. As an intricate overlap of multiple biological processes, the stress response system guides our understanding of how and why stress manifests as it does. Using traditional osteological methods of stress analysis, specifically cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, and enamel hypoplastic lesions, this study focuses on the relationship between these indicators to explore differences in stress manifestation in the Medieval and post-Medieval periods in Denmark. Using the Black Friars cemetery population (13th-17th centuries), results show an increase in stress from the Medieval into the post-Medieval period likely dictated by the strains of urbanism on a predominantly poor population. Additionally, a younger mean age at death was noted when multiple mild-moderate indicators were present as compared with one severe indicator being present. A recognition of the intricacies of the stress response effectively aids in the exploration of stress manifestation and the relationship, if any, between these well-used skeletal indicators. KEYWORDS cribra orbitalia, enamel hypoplastic lesions, Medieval and post-Medieval Denmark, porotic hyperostosis, urbanism
Those interred as vampires appear local to the region and thus likely underwent deviant funerary treatment due to some other social stigma not apparent from the skeleton.
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