Comparison of child morbidity in two contrasting medieval cemeteries from Denmark

Abstract

This study compares associations between demographic profiles, long bone lengths, bone mineral content, and frequencies of stress indicators in the preadult populations of two medieval skeletal assemblages from Denmark. One is from a leprosarium, and thus probably represents a disadvantaged group (Naestved). The other comes from a normal, and in comparison rather privileged, medieval community (AEbelholt). Previous studies of the adult population indicated differences between the two skeletal collections with regard to mortality, dental size, and metabolic and specific infectious disease. The two samples were analyzed against the view known as the "osteological paradox" (Wood et al. [1992] Curr. Anthropol. 33:343-370), according to which skeletons displaying pathological modification are likely to represent the healthier individuals of a population, whereas those without lesions would have died without acquiring modifications as a result of a depressed immune response. Results reveal that older age groups among the preadults from Naestved are shorter and have less bone mineral content than their peers from AEbelholt. On average, the Naestved children have a higher prevalence of stress indicators, and in some cases display skeletal signs of leprosy. This is likely a result of the combination of compromised health and social disadvantage, thus supporting a more traditional interpretation. The study provides insights into the health of children from two different biocultural settings of medieval Danish society and illustrates the importance of comparing samples of single age groups.

Bone Mineral Density in Children From Anthropological and Clinical Sciences: A Review

“…In cases of reduced physical activity, low bone Unauthenticated Download Date | 5/11/18 3:27 AM mass can result (Bennike et al 2005). Some studies have shown that physical activity in childhood and adolescence has a positive effect on bone density (Van den Bergh et al 1995;Nordstrom et al 1995;Gunnes et al 1996;Davis et al 1999;Viña et al 1999).…”

“…The majority of bone mineral density studies concentrate on the older skeleton with preference to osteoporosis (Farquharson et al 1997;Lees et al 1993;Mays 2000Mays , 2001Mays et al 2006;Curate 2014). A number of papers have explored bone mineral density in relation to child health and growth in past populations (Bennike et al 2005;McEwan et al 2005). Previous studies on bone mineral density in relation to preservation include Boaz and Behrensmeyer (1976) who measured the bone density of 35 portions of human bone, but the data was based on one bone element and one portion of bone to address the importance of shape and density in relation to fluvial transport.…”

“…According to this model, bone mass achieved by early adulthood is a key determinant of As a result many methods of measurement and reference samples are widely available within the clinical literature (Table 1). With regard to the measurement of BMD in past populations, several studies have been conducted on adult skeletons (Elenman et al 1995;Holck 2007;Lynnerup and Von Wowern 1997;Mays 2001;Mays et al 2006) and some juvenile samples (McEwan et al 2005;Willey et al 1997;Bennike et al 2005;Manifold 2008;Kendell and Willey 2013). This paper aims to review the literature on bone density in children from clinical and anthropological contexts.…”

The Bioarchaeological Investigation of Childhood and Social Age: Problems and Prospects

“…It could be argued that this mimics the modern Western cultural construction of children, where they are often perceived as incomplete beings compared with adults (Baxter 2005a, p. 18). "Nonadult", which has been used as an alternative to "subadult" (for example, Bennike et al 2005;Heuzé and Cardoso 2008;Lewis 2007), has the same problem because this age category is defined in contrast to what they are not: "adult". In using this dualism, children are defined as a deviant from the norm, a process known as "Othering" (de Beauvoir 1949;Said 1978).…”

A study of nonspecific skeletal health indicators in two nonadult populations from western Britain

“…rickets, scurvy), and also decreases in growth. The study of non-specifi c physiological stress indicators is frequently employed to assess the health of past populations and many studies have been carried out on non-adult skeletons both in Britain and abroad (Ribot and Roberts, 1996;Lewis, 2002;Bennike et al, 2005;Gowland and Redfern, 2010;Wheeler, 2010). It is often desirable to assess disease, nutrition and bone growth together in order to investigate the impact of poor health and nutrition on growth patterns.…”