Body size and social status in medieval Alba (Cuneo), Italy

Abstract

Objectives: Previous work by Vercellotti et al. in 2011 found significant status-related differences in body size in males but not in females from the Italian bioarchaeological assemblage of San Michele di Trino (8th-14th centuries CE). The purpose of the present work is twofold: (a) to determine if status-related body size differences could be observed in the nearby collection of San Lorenzo di Alba (7th-15th centuries CE) and (b) to add to the emerging narrative of medieval Italians.Materials and Methods: Osteometric data (maximum length for the humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia, and fibula; bicondylar length of the femur, condylo-malleolar length of the tibia, foot height, maximum vertebral heights, and basion-bregma height) were collected for 50 (20 female, 30 male) individuals from Alba, and Monte Carlo analysis was used to assess differences in skeletal element size, skeletal height, living stature, and body mass across sex and status.Results: Significant differences were detected between high status and low status males in Alba for radial maximum length (p = 0.013), tibial maximum length (p = 0.011), tibial condylomalleolar length (p = 0.012), skeletal height estimated from condylo-malleolar tibial length (p = 0.002), and stature estimated from condyle-malleolar tibial length with the age component (p = 0.003). In contrast, no significant status-based differences were observed between female subsamples (p > 0.05).Discussion: The patterns of intrapopulation variation observed at Alba are similar but not as pronounced as those observed at Trino, suggesting that overall life conditions experienced by the two groups were comparable. K E Y W O R D Sbioarchaeology, socioeconomic status, stature

Socio-economic Determinants of Bone Health from Past to Present

“…Male and female long bone morphometric data representing high and low SES in 8 th -13 th centuries Trino Vercellese, Italy indicated greater adult body mass in males of high SES[29]. A recent follow up study[118] of similar design replicated these results using a neighbouring Italian sample from San Lorenzo di Alba (7 th -15 th centuries), where high and low SES differences in skeletal morphometry and stature were apparent between males, but not females. Skeletogenesis traits measured in Polish samples deriving from medieval high SES 12 th -14 th centuries Cedynia and low SES 14 th -17 th Słaboszewo, found the low SES group to be characterised by a reduced skull base height, vertebral canal, and bone quantity in metacarpals[119].…”

“…consider bone histology or DXA methods, and large enough sample sizes to infer medieval lifestyles. Those relying on gross anatomical morphometric [e.g 29,118]. examination of the skeleton may be un-accounting for adult bone remodelling.…”

Sex differences in diet and life conditions in a rural Medieval Islamic population from Spain (La Torrecilla, Granada): An isotopic and osteological approach to gender differentiation inal‐Andalus

“…Variation in sexual stature dimorphism (henceforth SSD) has also been linked to differences in environmental conditions. Female growth is thought to be less sensitive to environmental changes (Stini, 1969; Stinson, 1985), and sexual dimorphism may decrease in populations facing adverse circumstances due to a more severe disruption of growth in boys (Bogin et al, 2017; Cámara, 2015; Nikitovic & Bogin, 2014; Vercellotti et al, 2011; Weiss et al, 2019; Zakrzewski, 2003), although deviations from this pattern have been observed (Clark et al, 2014; Gustafsson et al, 2007; Shin et al, 2012).…”

Social differentiation and well-being in the Italian Iron Age: exploring the relationship between sex, age, biological stress, and burial complexity among the Picenes of Novilara (8th–7th c. BC)

“…In any case, considering all the above issues, the heterogeneous conclusions reached by previous comparisons of social and biological status are hardly surprising. For the Italian Peninsula (focus of this contribution), this is highlighted by a number of studies which have shown a variable correlation between archaeological and anthropological data (Laffranchi et al 2019;Minozzi et al 2020;Sorrentino et al 2018;Sparacello et al 2017;Vercellotti et al 2011;Weiss et al 2019).…”

“…Bioarchaeological proxies of social status may include various types of funerary features (e.g., type and amount of grave goods). Dental, skeletal, and stable isotope data are usually used as proxies of biological status: exposure to environmental and biomechanical stress and relative access to food resources (e.g., Laffranchi et al 2019;Minozzi et al 2020;Reitsema and Vercellotti 2012;Robb et al 2001;Sparacello et al 2015Sparacello et al , 2017Vercellotti et al 2011;Weiss et al 2019).…”