Preliminary Investigations of The Bioarchaeology of Medieval Giecz (XI-XII C.): Examples of Trauma and Stress

Abstract

Human skeletal remains from past populations are an invaluable source to objectively study biological history. The combined biological and cultural assessment of bioarchaeology offers a unique perspective on the adaptation of people to their environment. This study summarizes a portion of ongoing work to decipher trends related to health and lifestyle in early medieval (XI-XII c.) Giecz, Poland. The skeletal assemblage from Giecz, the "Giecz Collection", represents a community positioned at a major center of political, economic, and religious power during this important time in Polish history. Non-violent traumatic injuries were investigated to elucidate trends related to possible types and rigor of activities and linear femoral growth trends were analyzed to assess patterns of stress. Preliminary results suggest that all members of the community (men, women, and adolescents) contributed to a lifestyle characterized by repetitive hard-work. Furthermore, it appears that most individuals suffered from health insults negatively affecting their development and perhaps their mortality.

Sex differences in workload in medieval Poland: Patterns of asymmetry and biomechanical adaptation in the upper limb at Giecz

“…These findings indicate that the pectoral girdle, arm, and forearm all play key roles in the functional upper limb complex, and, in some respects, it is permissible to interpret them holistically. This approach is especially evident in behavioral contexts that engage the entire upper limb, such as agricultural practices (Agnew & Justus, 2014; Auerbach & Raxter, 2008; Justus & Agnew, 2016; Kralik et al, 2014).…”

“…This collection is housed in the Museum of the First Piasts in Giecz, Poland (Rezerwat Archeologiczny Gród Piastowski w Gieczu). Most skeletal remains were recovered from Gz4 through excavations from 1999 to 2008 (Agnew et al, 2015; Agnew & Justus, 2014; Buko, 2008; Indycka, 2016; Kara, 2017; Vercellotti et al, 2009). The cemetery site borders the 10th‐century fortified stronghold attributed to the Piast dynasty.…”

“…Giecz, considered a birthplace of the Polish State, acted as an essential hub for political and economic activities through the 10th and 11th centuries (Davies, 2005) (Figure 1). In 1038, during Poland's war with Bohemia and the pagan uprising, Giecz was invaded by Brzetysław I (Manteuffel, 1982) and the people of Giecz were relocated to Czech lands (Agnew & Justus, 2014; Davies, 2005). Though the area around Giecz was eventually reinhabited, it was not the social and political center it once was and functioned primarily as a farming community (Davies, 2005; Kostrzewski, 1966).…”

Medieval injuries: Skeletal trauma as an indicator of past living conditions and hazard risk in Cambridge, England

“…In recent decades, research has explored how skeletal trauma in archaeological assemblages can be used to reconstruct injury risks related to occupation, lifestyle and environment (Agnew & Justus, 2014 ; Judd & Redfern, 2012 ; Judd & Roberts, 1998 , 1999 ; Milner et al, 2015 ; Redfern, 2017a ; Walker, 2012 ). The analysis of the type and pattern of skeletal trauma can be used to determine if the injuries sustained by past peoples were the result of an accident or due to intentional violence (Grauer & Roberts, 1996 ; Judd & Roberts, 1999 ; Walker, 2001 ).…”

Long-Bone Growth in the Bronze Age Skeletal Population of Gonur-Depe, Turkmenistan

“…По этой причине анализ ростовых кривых во многих работах дополняется палеодемографическими и палеопатологическими данными (см. : [Molleson, 1989;Ribot, Roberts, 1996;Agnew, Justus, 2014;Pinhasi et al, 2014]).…”