The humans of ancient Hermione : the necropolis in the light of bioarchaeology
Tornberg, Anna LU
(2023)
In Opuscula: Annual of the Swedish Institutes At Athens and Rome
16.
p.133-152
- Abstract
- Bioarchaeology has the potential to substantially inform about ancient lifeways through osteological analyses of the remains of the once living individuals. This article provides insights of the demography and health of the people of ancient Hermione (Geometric-Roman period). A minimum number of 85 individuals from the Hermione necropolis was osteologically analyzed. Although the analysis was limited by taphonomic processes and long period of use of the necropolis, the results point towards a population affected by urban hazards, such as infections, high child mortality, and, possibly, decreased opportunity to survive into senescence. Further, stunted growth, evidence of general stress primarily in the juvenile skeletal assemblage, and a... (More)
- Bioarchaeology has the potential to substantially inform about ancient lifeways through osteological analyses of the remains of the once living individuals. This article provides insights of the demography and health of the people of ancient Hermione (Geometric-Roman period). A minimum number of 85 individuals from the Hermione necropolis was osteologically analyzed. Although the analysis was limited by taphonomic processes and long period of use of the necropolis, the results point towards a population affected by urban hazards, such as infections, high child mortality, and, possibly, decreased opportunity to survive into senescence. Further, stunted growth, evidence of general stress primarily in the juvenile skeletal assemblage, and a possible case of child abuse informs of the hardships of children in ancient Hermione. The osteological analysis also confirms that the two individuals buried in the “warrior grave” were of both sexes. The skeletal remains were unfortunately too poorly preserved for detailed analyses of trauma or other health related patterns. The practice of burying all age groups and both sexes in collective graves between the 6th-5th and 2nd centuries BC might correspond to the necropolis as a communal burial ground, while older and younger graves were assigned for single individuals only. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/0d375a1c-0a3b-448e-bdfa-f8057ae0ac67
- author
- Tornberg, Anna
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023-11
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- bioarchaeology, Hermione, necropolis, palaeodemography, palaeopathology, Warrior Tomb
- in
- Opuscula: Annual of the Swedish Institutes At Athens and Rome
- volume
- 16
- pages
- 20 pages
- publisher
- Editorial Committee of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85184508346
- ISSN
- 2000-0898
- DOI
- 10.30549/opathrom-16-06
- project
- An ancient cityscape and its people – A study of ancient Hermion
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 0d375a1c-0a3b-448e-bdfa-f8057ae0ac67
- date added to LUP
- 2023-03-14 09:12:23
- date last changed
- 2024-02-26 13:59:58
@article{0d375a1c-0a3b-448e-bdfa-f8057ae0ac67,
abstract = {{Bioarchaeology has the potential to substantially inform about ancient lifeways through osteological analyses of the remains of the once living individuals. This article provides insights of the demography and health of the people of ancient Hermione (Geometric-Roman period). A minimum number of 85 individuals from the Hermione necropolis was osteologically analyzed. Although the analysis was limited by taphonomic processes and long period of use of the necropolis, the results point towards a population affected by urban hazards, such as infections, high child mortality, and, possibly, decreased opportunity to survive into senescence. Further, stunted growth, evidence of general stress primarily in the juvenile skeletal assemblage, and a possible case of child abuse informs of the hardships of children in ancient Hermione. The osteological analysis also confirms that the two individuals buried in the “warrior grave” were of both sexes. The skeletal remains were unfortunately too poorly preserved for detailed analyses of trauma or other health related patterns. The practice of burying all age groups and both sexes in collective graves between the 6th-5th and 2nd centuries BC might correspond to the necropolis as a communal burial ground, while older and younger graves were assigned for single individuals only.}},
author = {{Tornberg, Anna}},
issn = {{2000-0898}},
keywords = {{bioarchaeology; Hermione; necropolis; palaeodemography; palaeopathology; Warrior Tomb}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{133--152}},
publisher = {{Editorial Committee of the Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome}},
series = {{Opuscula: Annual of the Swedish Institutes At Athens and Rome}},
title = {{The humans of ancient Hermione : the necropolis in the light of bioarchaeology}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.30549/opathrom-16-06}},
doi = {{10.30549/opathrom-16-06}},
volume = {{16}},
year = {{2023}},
}