HOW MUCH PAIN A MAN CAN TAKE? MULTIPLE PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IN AN ADULT INDIVIDUAL
Channel: European Association of Archaeologists
Date: 2021-03-22

Severe pathological conditions leading to disability and their perception by past societies are currently more frequently discussed in bioarchaeological studies, and especially in the context of the Bioarchaeology of Care. In this paper we present a suit of pathological lesions observed in an adult individual from the medieval cemetery of Sur-Fourches at Avenches, Switzerland (11th c. AD). The post-cranial skeleton presents multiple pathological changes in joints and bones, e.g. of the shoulder girdle, upper limbs, vertebral column, thorax, as well as os acromiale, suggestive of a painful life with considerable impaired movement. In modern clinical practice arthritis and traumatic incidents, like fractures, are considered major public health problems, carrying with them substantial disability and reduced quality of life. Although such pathological conditions are commonly observed in archaeological populations, few studies focus to their actual effects on the everyday life of past people. It is, thus, important to include such conditions in the overall discussion of disability in the past as they can also serve as potential indicators of life quality and social care in a society


Author(s): Bourbou, Chryssi (University of Fribourg; Hellenic Ministry of Culture) - Amoroso, Hugo (Aventicum Site et Musée romain d’Avenches)