The impact of urbanisation and industrialisation in medieval and post-medieval Britain : an assessment of the morbidity and mortality of non-adult skeletons from the cemeteries of two urban and two rural sites in England (AD 850-1859)
This study compares the morbidity and mortality of non-adults in urban and rural cemeteries between AD 850-1859. It was hypothesised that the development of urbanisation and industrialisation with subsequenot overcrowding and environmental pollution, would result in a decline in human health in the urban groups. This would be evident in lower mean ages at death, retarded growth and higher rates of childhood stress and chronic infection in the children living in the urbanised environments. Non-adult skeletons were examined from Raunds Furnells in Northamptonshire (Anglo- Saxon), St. Helen-on-the-Walls in York (later medieval, urban), Wharrarn Percy in Yorkshire (later medieval, rural) and from the crypt of Christ Church Spitalfields, in London (AD 1729-1859). The results showed that it was industrialisation, rather than urbanisation that was most detrimental to child health. Weaning ages declined from two years in the Anglo-Saxon period to one year in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Industrialisation was characterised by a lower mean age at death, growth retardation and an increase in the prevalence of rickets and scurvy. Although higher rates of dental disease and matemal stress were apparent in the
Lewis, Mary Elizabeth
Medieval Britain ; Non-adults ; Children ; Urban ; Rural ; Stress ; Growth retardation ; Environment ; England ; Industrialisation ; Urbanisation ; Palaeopathology ; Human skeletal remains ; Health, declining
The impact of urbanisation and industrialisation in medieval and post-medieval Britain : an assessment of the morbidity and mortality of non-adult skeletons from the cemeteries of two urban and two rural sites in England (AD 850-1859). This study compares the morbidity and mortality of non-adults in urban and rural cemeteries between AD 850-1859. It was hypothesised that the development of urbanisation and industrialisation with subsequenot overcrowding and environmental pollution, would result in a decline in human health in the urban groups. This would be evident in lower mean ages at death, retarded growth and higher rates of childhood stress and chronic infection in the children living in the urbanised environments. Non-adult skeletons were examined from Raunds Furnells in Northamptonshire (Anglo- Saxon), St. Helen-on-the-Walls in York (later medieval, urban), Wharrarn Percy in Yorkshire (later medieval, rural) and from the crypt of Christ Church Spitalfields, in London (AD 1729-1859). The results showed that it was industrialisation, rather than urbanisation that was most detrimental to child health. Weaning ages declined from two years in the Anglo-Saxon period to one year in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Industrialisation was characterised by a lower mean age at death, growth retardation and an increase in the prevalence of rickets and scurvy. Although higher rates of dental disease and matemal stress were apparent in the
impact urbanisation industrialisation medieval post_medieval britain assessment morbidity mortality non adult skeleton cemetery urban rural_site england_ad study compare morbidity mortality non adults urban_rural cemetery hypothesise development urbanisation industrialisation overcrowd environmental pollution would decline human health urban group would evident low mean age_death retard growth high_rate childhood stress chronic infection child live environment non adult skeleton examine northamptonshire anglo saxon york later_medieval urban yorkshire later_medieval rural crypt christ_church london show industrialisation rather urbanisation detrimental child health weaning age decline anglo_saxon_period industrialisation characterise_low mean age_death growth retardation increase prevalence although high_rate dental_disease stress apparent