Stresse infantil, morbilidade e mortalidade no sítio arqueológico do Neolítico Final/ Calcolítico (4º e 3º milénio a.C.) do Monte do Carrascal 2 (Ferreira do Alentejo, Beja)

Abstract

Children go through various stages of development and growth. The Barker and Osmond “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” hypothesis states that the stress episodes suffered in intrauterine/early childhood life have negative consequences in adulthood (propensity to diseases and anticipation of the age of death). In order to estimate the frequency of childhood stress in a sample of the Late Neolithic/Chalcolithic and understand its impact on the adult life of individuals, a sample of Monte do Carrascal 2 (Ferreira do Alentejo, Beja) was analysed following the methodology of Reid and Dean (2000, 2006). The individuals in the sample do not present many signs of childhood stress, suggesting a special care taken upon the younger members of the community.