Health status in Lowland Medieval Scotland : a regional analysis of four skeletal populations
This research examines the health of those living within the lowland, east coast region of Scotland from 500-1500 AD utilizing historical, archaeological, and skeletal material. Although the study area was a central part of medieval Scotland, it has not been the focus of any larger scale research into health, including any previous statistical analyses. This study presents the osteological analysis of skeletal remains of four medieval populations (385 individuals) from eastern, lowland Scotland: Ballumbie (N=197 individuals), Isle of May (N=58), St Andrews Library (N=72), and Whitefriars (N=58). Additionally, this research provides a contextualized discussion of the similarities and differences in health of these four lowland populations, focusing on the broad themes of location (rural/urban) and status (high/low). The four study populations are compared statistically through prevalence rates of disease. A compilation of disease prevalence rates for twenty-three other medieval Scottish populations was created to provide further contextualized comparisons of health. The discussion of health from the perspectives of location is framed within the context of access to health care, population density/pathogen load,
Willows, Marlo A.
Medieval Scotland ; bioarchaeology ; health ; osteological analysis ; medieval populations
Health status in Lowland Medieval Scotland : a regional analysis of four skeletal populations. This research examines the health of those living within the lowland, east coast region of Scotland from 500-1500 AD utilizing historical, archaeological, and skeletal material. Although the study area was a central part of medieval Scotland, it has not been the focus of any larger scale research into health, including any previous statistical analyses. This study presents the osteological analysis of skeletal remains of four medieval populations (385 individuals) from eastern, lowland Scotland: Ballumbie (N=197 individuals), Isle of May (N=58), St Andrews Library (N=72), and Whitefriars (N=58). Additionally, this research provides a contextualized discussion of the similarities and differences in health of these four lowland populations, focusing on the broad themes of location (rural/urban) and status (high/low). The four study populations are compared statistically through prevalence rates of disease. A compilation of disease prevalence rates for twenty-three other medieval Scottish populations was created to provide further contextualized comparisons of health. The discussion of health from the perspectives of location is framed within the context of access to health care, population density/pathogen load,
health_status lowland medieval scotland regional analysis skeletal_population examines health living within lowland east_coast region scotland utilizing historical_archaeological skeletal_material although study_area central_part medieval_scotland focus large_scale health include previous statistical_analysis study present osteological_analysis skeletal_remain medieval population individual eastern lowland scotland individual isle may library additionally provide contextualized discussion similarity_differences health lowland population focus broad_theme location rural_urban status high_low study population compare statistically prevalence_rate disease compilation disease prevalence_rate twenty_three medieval scottish population create provide contextualized comparison health discussion health perspective location frame_within context access health_care population_density load