Ancient versus modern health patterns : biological and socioeconomic status differences and similarities between a Hellenistic and a 20th century human burial population from Greece
The present research offers the rare opportunity to compare the human remains of an ancient (3rd-1st century BC) population from the North Cemetery of Demetrias, Thessaly, and a modern (late 19th-late 20th century AD) one, the Athens Collection, from various cemeteries in Athens, Greece. Its main purpose is to explore the biological similarities and differences between the two populations and among the subsets within each one of them, as these are defined by biosocial parameters, namely sex/gender, and purely social, that is socioeconomic status. An attempt is made to associate biological with social variation through oral pathology and wear and address questions as to whether the health status of burial populations can indeed reflect socioeconomic conditions and status in life. Data analysis produced very conclusive differences between the two populations, and among sex/gender and socioeconomic status groups and suggests that dental caries, antemortem tooth loss, occlusal wear and dental enamel defects are very sensitive indicators of social position and conditions in general. Comparisons between the ancient and the contemporary population reveal that environmental, cultural and socioeconomic circumstances
Vanna, V.
Ancient versus modern health patterns : biological and socioeconomic status differences and similarities between a Hellenistic and a 20th century human burial population from Greece. The present research offers the rare opportunity to compare the human remains of an ancient (3rd-1st century BC) population from the North Cemetery of Demetrias, Thessaly, and a modern (late 19th-late 20th century AD) one, the Athens Collection, from various cemeteries in Athens, Greece. Its main purpose is to explore the biological similarities and differences between the two populations and among the subsets within each one of them, as these are defined by biosocial parameters, namely sex/gender, and purely social, that is socioeconomic status. An attempt is made to associate biological with social variation through oral pathology and wear and address questions as to whether the health status of burial populations can indeed reflect socioeconomic conditions and status in life. Data analysis produced very conclusive differences between the two populations, and among sex/gender and socioeconomic status groups and suggests that dental caries, antemortem tooth loss, occlusal wear and dental enamel defects are very sensitive indicators of social position and conditions in general. Comparisons between the ancient and the contemporary population reveal that environmental, cultural and socioeconomic circumstances
ancient versus modern health pattern biological socioeconomic status difference similarities hellenistic human_burial population greece present offer rare_opportunity compare human_remain ancient_population north cemetery thessaly modern late late athens collection various cemetery athens greece main_purpose explore biological similarity_difference population among subset within define parameter namely sex_gender purely social socioeconomic status attempt_make associate biological social variation oral pathology wear address_question whether health_status burial population indeed reflect socioeconomic condition status life data_analysis produce conclusive difference_two population among sex_gender socioeconomic status group suggest dental caries tooth loss wear dental_enamel defect sensitive indicator social_position condition general comparisons ancient contemporary population reveal environmental cultural socioeconomic circumstance