A bioarchaeological approach to prehistoric cemetery populations from western and central Greek Macedonia
The osteological material under study consists of 510 skeletal remains dating from the Early Neolithic (6000 BC) to the Early Iron Age (1100-700 BC). It comes from nine different cemeteries and burial locations extending from the coastal to the inland areas of the study region. The current thesis attempts to explore two major issues: 1) the reconstruction of aspects of life history and 2) the treatment and manipulation of the deceased as revealed by the human skeletal remains. With regard to the former, the investigation of demographic parameters, patterns of health and oral status as well as diet have been considered. In short, local conditions defined by environmental and social constraints probably affected the general quality of life reconstructed for the study populations. There is an overall tendency however, towards declining levels of health and oral status in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age populations, while certain assemblages provide high levels of infant and child mortality, possibly associated with a type of anaemia. There is also a substantial involvement of the upper skeleton in work patterns, possibly related to activities such as food acquisition, processing and preparation. Meanwhile,
Triantaphyllou, Sevasti
Osteology; Diet; Health; Mortuary practice
A bioarchaeological approach to prehistoric cemetery populations from western and central Greek Macedonia. The osteological material under study consists of 510 skeletal remains dating from the Early Neolithic (6000 BC) to the Early Iron Age (1100-700 BC). It comes from nine different cemeteries and burial locations extending from the coastal to the inland areas of the study region. The current thesis attempts to explore two major issues: 1) the reconstruction of aspects of life history and 2) the treatment and manipulation of the deceased as revealed by the human skeletal remains. With regard to the former, the investigation of demographic parameters, patterns of health and oral status as well as diet have been considered. In short, local conditions defined by environmental and social constraints probably affected the general quality of life reconstructed for the study populations. There is an overall tendency however, towards declining levels of health and oral status in the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age populations, while certain assemblages provide high levels of infant and child mortality, possibly associated with a type of anaemia. There is also a substantial involvement of the upper skeleton in work patterns, possibly related to activities such as food acquisition, processing and preparation. Meanwhile,
bioarchaeological prehistoric cemetery_population western central greek macedonia osteological material study_consist skeletal_remain date early_neolithic early_iron_age come different cemetery burial_location extend coastal inland area study region current attempt_explore two_major issue reconstruction aspects life_history treatment manipulation decease revealed human_skeletal_remain regard former investigation demographic parameter pattern health oral status well diet consider short local_condition define environmental social constraint probably affect general quality_life reconstruct study population overall tendency however towards decline level health oral status late_bronze_early_iron age population certain assemblage provide high_level infant child mortality possibly associate type also substantial involvement upper skeleton work pattern possibly related activity food acquisition_process preparation meanwhile