Petr Velemínský
Biographic Data
| ID | 77134 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Petr Velemínský |
| GIVEN NAMES | Petr |
| FAMILY NAME | Velemínský |
| SIGNATURE | VELEMÍNSKÝ P |
| AFFILIATIONS | National Museum |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3691-7817 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 56 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 190 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 56 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1999 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Life and death in the medieval mining centre of Kutná Hora - reconstructing diets during the recurrent mortality crises of the 14th century AD (Czechia)
During the 14th century, the inhabitants of Kutná Hora, an important urban centre in the Kingdom of Bohemia, were exposed to recurrent mortality crises. Using stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes, this study investigates the relationship between diet and the famine of 1318 and the plague outbreaks after 1346. Together with a comparative sample from regular graves, a total of 112 bone samples were collected, supplemented by 70 first permanent molar…
The medieval dietary transition in the ecclesiastical centre of Stará Boleslav (9th-15th centuries AD, Czechia)
The first isotopic insight into the Bronze Age dietary transition in the area of present-day Czechia
Sex Estimation in the Egyptian Old Kingdom Population (c. 2700–2180 BCE) using Logistic Regression
Sex estimation based on skeletal dimensions can be an important tool in the case of a missing pelvis, but is population specific. The aim is to present logistic regression models for sex estimation specifically for the Old Kingdom population (2700–2180 BCE) of ancient Egypt. The sample includes the skeletal remains of 162 adult individuals, 95 males and 67 females, from two burial sites (Abusir, Giza), whose sex could be estimated based on pelvic…
První výsledky rekonstrukce stravy jedinců pohřbených u hřbitovního karneru Všech svatých v Kutné Hoře – Sedlci
Příspěvek představuje první výsledky izotopové analýzy stravy jedinců pohřbených u hřbitovního karneru Všech svatých v Kutné Hoře – Sedlci (13.–14. stol.). Izotopové hodnoty uhlíku (δ13C) a dusíku (δ15N) byly měřeny v kostní tkáni celkem 24 jedinců pohřbených v individuálních hrobech. Analyzovaný soubor byl doplněn 11 vzorky zvířecích kostí a jako srovnávací soubor představující venkovskou populaci byl použit kosterní materiál 20 jedinců pohřbený…
Early life histories at medieval Mikulčice (ninth-tenth centuries AD, Czechia) based on carbon and nitrogen profiles of tooth dentine
Dietary changes seen through the isotope analysis of the La Tène burial site of Prosmyky (Bohemia, 4th-3rd century BCE)
Dietary reconstruction using carbon and nitrogen isotopes has been applied to the La Tène population buried at Prosmyky, a large cemetery of the 4th-3rd centuries BCE in northwest Bohemia. The analysis of bone collagen from 55 individuals showed a diet that did not differ noticeably from other contemporary sites in the region. However, chronologically sensitive development in diet, with gradually increasing δ13C values, was present, signifying a …
Undertaking the biological sex assessment of human remains
The effects of cultural networks on migration among Early and High Medieval populations in Central Europe based on dental phenotypic data
Throughout the region of Central Europe, population movements have transcended political boundaries throughout history. The Early (6th to 11th centuries AD) and High (11th to 14th centuries AD) Medieval periods were times of constantly shifting cultural relationships, as well as climatic fluctuations. Limited archeological and historic records for the region often focus on the broader cultural processes of the time, and to a large degree, on elit…
When DNA can't help
Research into the family of the Counts Swéerts‐Sporck raised doubts regarding their biographical data, particularly concerning a child who died in 1817, later identified as Philipp Swéerts‐Sporck, and his siblings Joseph and Barbara. These were alleged to include a pair of dizygotic twins, but DNA could not be used to clarify their relationships. Carbon and nitrogen isotopes were therefore measured in their first permanent molars, whereas Philipp…
Stav izotopových výzkumů stravy, rezidenční mobility a zemědělského hospodaření populace Velké Moravy (9.–10. století)
Příspěvek souhrnně představuje a propojuje výsledky dosavadních izotopových studií populace Velké Moravy, především obyvatel mikulčické aglomerace, zaměřených na rekonstrukci stravy, migraci, ale i způsoby zemědělského hospodaření ve sledované oblasti. Interpretuje i doposud nepublikovaná data vypovídající o stravě jedinců pohřbených v interiérech mikulčických kostelů (n = 10) a o rezidenční mobilitě jedinců z Mikulčic se specifickými hrobovými p…
Stable isotope values of carbon and nitrogen in hair compared to bone collagen from individuals with known medical histories (Bohemia, 19th-21st centuries)
This study explores the impact of physiological stress on carbon and nitrogen isotopic values in hair and on the isotopic offsets between hair and bone. Isotopic values were measured in hair from 18 individuals who died between 1884 and 2006; isotopic values of bone collagen in ribs and femurs were measured in a previous study.The average nitrogen isotopic offset between average hair and rib value (Δ15Nhair-rib) was −1.2 ± 0.7‰ and Δ13Chair-rib w…
Kinship and the familial occurrence of skeletal developmental anomalies in the noble Swéerts-Sporck family (Bohemia, 17th to 20th centuries)
Facial skeleton morphology
Bone diagenesis in the medieval cemetery of Vratislavs' Palace in Prague
Residential mobility in Great Moravia
The impact of pathological conditions on carbon and nitrogen isotopic values in the bone collagen of individuals with known biographic data and medical history
This study aimed to refine our understanding of the extent to which chronic diseases with and without skeletal manifestation affect the isotopic values in bone collagen. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic values were measured in the ribs and femurs of 65 individuals from a documented skeletal collection (19th-21st centuries, Czech Republic). Statistically significant differences in both carbon and nitrogen isotopic values were found between particular …
A reflection of the unfavorable living conditions caused by the First World War in the diet and health of a 10-year-old boy (1907-1917) from Vetlá cemetery, Bohemia
Although First World War battles did not directly affect the territory of all participating states, the conflict brought suffering in the form of a decline in their inhabitants' economic situation. This was also true in the Czech Lands. Opportunities for studying the impact of the period's difficult living conditions on the human body are very limited. This study presents pilot research into the possible influence of the wartime environment on ch…
Entre peste et famine
The later centuries of the Middle Ages were a time of recurrent epidemics and famines, some of which caused such huge mortality that mass graves and emergency burial grounds had to be created. Several anthropological studies have investigated these graves and cemeteries, but only a few have attempted to assess the bioarchaeological features that could distinguish between these two types of crisis. Our study tackles this question through an anthro…
The dietary behavior of two early medieval individuals with temporomandibular ankylosis
Multiple occurrence of premature polyarticular osteoarthritis in an early medieval Bohemian cemetery (Prague, Czech Republic)
Paleodemografická interpretace kosterních souborů minulých populací
Příspěvek v první části představuje současný stav paleodemografie minulých populací. Úskalím jakékoliv interpretace jsou problémy spolehlivého odhadu věku dožití dospělých jedinců, které dovolují exaktní klasifikaci maximálně do tří širokých věkových tříd (např. do 30 let, od 30 do 60 let a starších 60 let). Možnosti nové intepretace úmrtnostního profilu vzhledem k modelové úmrtnosti archaických populací (e0 = 25 až 35 let) podle Ledermanna jsou …
Pig-Breeding Management in the Early Medieval Stronghold at Mikulčice (Eighth–Ninth Centuries, Czech Republic)
The archaeozoological analysis sets point to the vital role of pigs in the subsistence economy of Early Medieval Mikulčice, an important Great Moravian centre (Czech Republic). The results of slaughtering distribution analyses indicate that pigs were a meat source for a consumer population. Analyses of stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon suggest that the demand for pork was predominantly met by animals raised by extensive husbandry. . In addit…
Phenotypic diversity of skulls in the Merovingian population (Norroy‐le‐Veneur cemetery, 7th century AD, Moselle, France) in the context of Early Medieval Europe
Western Europe underwent a major sociocultural and economic transformation from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. This so‐called Migration Period is characterized by invasions of various western and eastern non‐Romanized peoples, as well as by nomadic Huns. The Frankish state was the only Germanic state to successfully survive this period. Nevertheless, the arrival of unknown populations could have influenced the autochthonous Frankish pop…
Bone diagenesis in the loess deposits of Central Europe
Enthesopathies and activity patterns in the Early Medieval Great Moravian population
Bone remodelling in the areas of entheses is frequently supposed to be associated with physical stress and the activity patterns of ancient populations. The main aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of enthesopathies among individuals living in different life conditions. A total of 197 individuals from the Early Medieval (9th century) Mikulčice site were analysed for enthesopathies - 117 adult individuals from Mikulčice castle and 80 i…
Limb bones asymmetry and stress in medieval and recent populations of Central Europe
Monitoring the degree of asymmetry in different parts of the human body can contribute to population studies, as it may be connected indirectly with the social structure, living conditions, and also with biomechanical stress affecting the person. Analysis of asymmetry may also assess preferential use of the right or left of the body during specific activities. This study is based on the measurements of bones of the upper and lower limbs of skelet…
Diet in transitory society
Skull shape asymmetry and the socioeconomic structure of an early medieval central european society
The socioeconomic structure of an early medieval society from the Mikulčice settlement (Czech Republic) was studied on the basis of an evaluation of the fluctuating and directional asymmetry (DA) of skulls. Two distinct inhabited regions, castle and sub‐castle, were compared. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) was used as a bioindicator of environmental stress, which is thought to have been different in the Mikulčice castle and sub‐castle regions. DA is …
Entheseal Changes
Entheseal changes (EC) of skeletons are supposed to reflect the physical activity of our ancestors. Similarly, the elements of the burial rite (e.g. grave goods, burial depth) are presumed to be related to the social status of individuals. The aim of this study was to verify the existence of relationships between EC distribution and archaeological descriptors providing information on social status. Fibrocartilaginous entheses of upper and lower l…
Dukes, elites, and commoners
The impact of pathological conditions on carbon and nitrogen isotopic values in the bone collagen of individuals with known biographic data and medical history
This study aimed to refine our understanding of the extent to which chronic diseases with and without skeletal manifestation affect the isotopic values in bone collagen. Carbon and nitrogen isotopic values were measured in the ribs and femurs of 65 individuals from a documented skeletal collection (19th-21st centuries, Czech Republic). Statistically significant differences in both carbon and nitrogen isotopic values were found between particular …
Entre peste et famine
The later centuries of the Middle Ages were a time of recurrent epidemics and famines, some of which caused such huge mortality that mass graves and emergency burial grounds had to be created. Several anthropological studies have investigated these graves and cemeteries, but only a few have attempted to assess the bioarchaeological features that could distinguish between these two types of crisis. Our study tackles this question through an anthro…
Urban and rural infant‐feeding practices and health in early medieval C entral E urope (9th–10th Century, C zech R epublic)
In the Central European context, the 9th and 10th centuries are well known for rapid cultural and societal changes concerning the development of the economic and political structures of states as well as the adoption of Christianity. A bioarchaeological study based on a subadult skeletal series was conducted to tackle the impact of these changes on infant and young child feeding practices and, consequently, their health in both urban and rural po…
The shape variability of human tibial epiphyses in an early medieval Great Moravian population (9th–10th century AD)
Limb bone morphology is influenced by external factors, including changes in subsistence and socioeconomic shifts. The aim of this study was to identify and describe any trends in morphological variation in human tibial epiphyses within an early medieval population of central Europe using surface scanning and geometric morphometric methods. The results are discussed in terms of three potential sources of variation in shape variability: sexual dim…
Kinship and morphological similarity in the skeletal remains of individuals with known genealogical data (Bohemia, 19th to 20th centuries)
OBJECTIVES: This article proposes a new approach, called the "similarity coefficient" (SC) for verifying family relationships from skeletal remains using nonmetric traits. Based on this method and further analyses, the authors aim to show the degree of similarity between individuals with varying degrees of kinship, including inbred individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our sample includes the skeletal remains of 34 individuals with known genealogic…
Technical Note
The greater sciatic notch (GSN) is one of the most important and frequently used characteristics for determining the sex of skeletons, but objective assessment of this characteristic is not without its difficulties. We tested the robustness of GSN sex classification on the basis of geometric morphometrics (GM) and support vector machines (SVM), using two different population samples. Using photographs, the shape of the GSN in 229 samples from two…
Stable isotope values of carbon and nitrogen in hair compared to bone collagen from individuals with known medical histories (Bohemia, 19th-21st centuries)
This study explores the impact of physiological stress on carbon and nitrogen isotopic values in hair and on the isotopic offsets between hair and bone. Isotopic values were measured in hair from 18 individuals who died between 1884 and 2006; isotopic values of bone collagen in ribs and femurs were measured in a previous study.The average nitrogen isotopic offset between average hair and rib value (Δ15Nhair-rib) was −1.2 ± 0.7‰ and Δ13Chair-rib w…
Bone diagenesis in the medieval cemetery of Vratislavs' Palace in Prague
Residential mobility in Great Moravia
Pig-Breeding Management in the Early Medieval Stronghold at Mikulčice (Eighth–Ninth Centuries, Czech Republic)
The archaeozoological analysis sets point to the vital role of pigs in the subsistence economy of Early Medieval Mikulčice, an important Great Moravian centre (Czech Republic). The results of slaughtering distribution analyses indicate that pigs were a meat source for a consumer population. Analyses of stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon suggest that the demand for pork was predominantly met by animals raised by extensive husbandry. . In addit…
Bone diagenesis in the loess deposits of Central Europe
Stable isotope evidence for diet in early medieval Great Moravia (Czech Republic)
Was He Murdered Or Was He Not?—Part I
World‐renowned R enaissance astronomer T ycho B rahe died on 24 O ctober 1601, after 11 days of illness. Several conspiracy theories regarding his death have been aired, the first shortly after his death by W illiam S hakespeare in the play H amlet , published in 1603. A key factor in the still lively debate is whether he was administered mercury—as medicine by his own hand, or as poison by an unfriendly hand. In 2010, B rahe's grave was reopened…
Early life histories at medieval Mikulčice (ninth-tenth centuries AD, Czechia) based on carbon and nitrogen profiles of tooth dentine
Dietary changes seen through the isotope analysis of the La Tène burial site of Prosmyky (Bohemia, 4th-3rd century BCE)
Dietary reconstruction using carbon and nitrogen isotopes has been applied to the La Tène population buried at Prosmyky, a large cemetery of the 4th-3rd centuries BCE in northwest Bohemia. The analysis of bone collagen from 55 individuals showed a diet that did not differ noticeably from other contemporary sites in the region. However, chronologically sensitive development in diet, with gradually increasing δ13C values, was present, signifying a …
Undertaking the biological sex assessment of human remains
A reflection of the unfavorable living conditions caused by the First World War in the diet and health of a 10-year-old boy (1907-1917) from Vetlá cemetery, Bohemia
Although First World War battles did not directly affect the territory of all participating states, the conflict brought suffering in the form of a decline in their inhabitants' economic situation. This was also true in the Czech Lands. Opportunities for studying the impact of the period's difficult living conditions on the human body are very limited. This study presents pilot research into the possible influence of the wartime environment on ch…
A time of change
C. The role of the Christian conversion of the population is questioned, but another factor influencing diet might have played a role.
Urban-rural differences in stature in the population of medieval Bohemia
This study explores differences in stature and their diachronic trends between the urban and rural medieval populations of Bohemia. We estimated stature from the lengths of the long bones of subjects living in Prague (urban) and rural areas of present Czech territory. Our results indicate the absence of significant urban/rural differences in stature in the population living between the 11th and 14th century. For both sexes, the temporal variation…
Palaeopathology and historical personality of General Johann Sporck (1595–1679)
A reconstruction of the tomb of the noble family of Swéerts-Sporck provided an opportunity for a comparison of the physical remains of these individuals with the written records relating to their lives. The site is located at Kuks in the district of Pardubice. The skeletal remains of General Johann Sporck were chosen for study due to an abundance of information in archives and local legends pertaining to his life, particularly the injuries he sus…
Palaeopathology and historical personality of General Johann Sporck (1595-1679)
A reconstruction of the tomb of the noble family of Swéerts-Sporck provided an opportunity for a comparison of the physical remains of these individuals with the written records relating to their lives. The site is located at Kuks in the district of Pardubice. The skeletal remains of General Johann Sporck were chosen for study due to an abundance of information in archives and local legends pertaining to his life, particularly the injuries he sus…
Morphological likeness of the skeletal remains in a Central European family from 17th to 19th century
Variability of the Upper Palaeolithic skulls from Předmostí near Přerov (Czech Republic)
Limb bones asymmetry and stress in medieval and recent populations of Central Europe
Monitoring the degree of asymmetry in different parts of the human body can contribute to population studies, as it may be connected indirectly with the social structure, living conditions, and also with biomechanical stress affecting the person. Analysis of asymmetry may also assess preferential use of the right or left of the body during specific activities. This study is based on the measurements of bones of the upper and lower limbs of skelet…
Dental health and lifestyle in four early mediaeval juvenile populations
La croissance des populations du passé
Dans l'esprit du thème principal du colloque anniversaire des 150 ans de la Société d'anthropologie de Paris: « Des conceptions d'hier aux recherches de demain », cette étude propose une courte synthèse sur l'évolution des recherches portant sur la croissance. La croissance est une vaste problématique qui intéresse activement les anthropologues et de nombreuses disciplines conjointes depuis près d'un siècle et demi. De ce fait, de nombreuses publ…
Enthesopathies and activity patterns in the Early Medieval Great Moravian population
Bone remodelling in the areas of entheses is frequently supposed to be associated with physical stress and the activity patterns of ancient populations. The main aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of enthesopathies among individuals living in different life conditions. A total of 197 individuals from the Early Medieval (9th century) Mikulčice site were analysed for enthesopathies - 117 adult individuals from Mikulčice castle and 80 i…
Size factor as one of the problems in the sex estimation of skulls
In this study we estimate sex and population affinity of Gravettian Predmostí (P) skulls using linear and geometric discriminant analysis (DA), and compare them with results of 2D geometric morphometrics (GM). We used the measurements of P3 and P9 males, P4 and P10 females, as originally estimated by Matiegka (1934), as well as two databases--the recent skull database of Howells and the fossil data of Henke. DA classifies the P skulls as robust a…
The temperature of cremation and its effect on the microstructure of the human rib compact bone
The presented study deals with the effect of the cremation temperature on the microstructure and morphology of the human compact bone. The biological material consisted of samples from ribs of recent Central European origin belonging to individuals of known age, sex and cause of death. Each bone sample was divided into several sections. One section remained unburned and the rest were burned at 700, 800 and 1000 degrees C. A few samples were burne…
Changes in the sexual dimorphism of the human mandible during the last 1200 years in Central Europe
Life history of the individuals buried in the St. Benedict Cemetery (Prague, 15th–18th Centuries)
Funerary practices and bioarchaeological (sex and age) data suggest that a mortality crisis linked to an epidemic episode occurred during the fifth phase of the St. Benedict cemetery in Prague (Czech Republic). To identify this mass mortality episode, we reconstructed individual life histories (dietary and mobility factors), assessed the population's biological homogeneity, and proposed a new chronology through stable isotope analysis (δ 13 C, δ …
Was He Murdered Or Was He Not?—Part I
World‐renowned R enaissance astronomer T ycho B rahe died on 24 O ctober 1601, after 11 days of illness. Several conspiracy theories regarding his death have been aired, the first shortly after his death by W illiam S hakespeare in the play H amlet , published in 1603. A key factor in the still lively debate is whether he was administered mercury—as medicine by his own hand, or as poison by an unfriendly hand. In 2010, B rahe's grave was reopened…
Technical Note
The greater sciatic notch (GSN) is one of the most important and frequently used characteristics for determining the sex of skeletons, but objective assessment of this characteristic is not without its difficulties. We tested the robustness of GSN sex classification on the basis of geometric morphometrics (GM) and support vector machines (SVM), using two different population samples. Using photographs, the shape of the GSN in 229 samples from two…
Skull shape asymmetry and the socioeconomic structure of an early medieval central european society
The socioeconomic structure of an early medieval society from the Mikulčice settlement (Czech Republic) was studied on the basis of an evaluation of the fluctuating and directional asymmetry (DA) of skulls. Two distinct inhabited regions, castle and sub‐castle, were compared. Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) was used as a bioindicator of environmental stress, which is thought to have been different in the Mikulčice castle and sub‐castle regions. DA is …
Entheseal Changes
Entheseal changes (EC) of skeletons are supposed to reflect the physical activity of our ancestors. Similarly, the elements of the burial rite (e.g. grave goods, burial depth) are presumed to be related to the social status of individuals. The aim of this study was to verify the existence of relationships between EC distribution and archaeological descriptors providing information on social status. Fibrocartilaginous entheses of upper and lower l…
Urban-rural differences in stature in the population of medieval Bohemia
This study explores differences in stature and their diachronic trends between the urban and rural medieval populations of Bohemia. We estimated stature from the lengths of the long bones of subjects living in Prague (urban) and rural areas of present Czech territory. Our results indicate the absence of significant urban/rural differences in stature in the population living between the 11th and 14th century. For both sexes, the temporal variation…
Urban and rural infant‐feeding practices and health in early medieval C entral E urope (9th–10th Century, C zech R epublic)
In the Central European context, the 9th and 10th centuries are well known for rapid cultural and societal changes concerning the development of the economic and political structures of states as well as the adoption of Christianity. A bioarchaeological study based on a subadult skeletal series was conducted to tackle the impact of these changes on infant and young child feeding practices and, consequently, their health in both urban and rural po…
The shape variability of human tibial epiphyses in an early medieval Great Moravian population (9th–10th century AD)
Limb bone morphology is influenced by external factors, including changes in subsistence and socioeconomic shifts. The aim of this study was to identify and describe any trends in morphological variation in human tibial epiphyses within an early medieval population of central Europe using surface scanning and geometric morphometric methods. The results are discussed in terms of three potential sources of variation in shape variability: sexual dim…
Stable isotope evidence for diet in early medieval Great Moravia (Czech Republic)
Was He Murdered or Was He Not?-Part II
Hair and bone samples procured from the remains of Tycho Brahe were analysed by several analytical techniques. In segmented hair samples, concentrations of Fe, As, Ag and Au at the tips exceeded values for the contemporary population; however, they decreased towards the hair bulbs, similarly to Hg, indicating that recent exposure that was discontinued ~2 months prior to Brahe's death. Several other elements did not follow this pattern. Analyses o…
The Beaker phenomenon and the genomic transformation of northwest Europe
Nové poznatky o ostatcích z hrobů K1 a K2 z rotundy sv. Víta na Pražském hradě
Tématem příspěvku je nová analýza dostupných poznatků o hrobech K1 a K2 v lodi předrománské rotundy sv. Víta, které byly objeveny již v roce 1911 a připisovány několika přemyslovským knížatům. Provedena byla zejména revize antropologických poznatků, analýzy stabilních izotopů uhlíku (δ13C) a dusíku (δ15N), analýza DNA a radiouhlíkové datování. Získaná data nedávají dohromady konzistentní obraz. Archeologie vylučuje připsání ostatků knížeti Bořivo…
Kinship and morphological similarity in the skeletal remains of individuals with known genealogical data (Bohemia, 19th to 20th centuries)
OBJECTIVES: This article proposes a new approach, called the "similarity coefficient" (SC) for verifying family relationships from skeletal remains using nonmetric traits. Based on this method and further analyses, the authors aim to show the degree of similarity between individuals with varying degrees of kinship, including inbred individuals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our sample includes the skeletal remains of 34 individuals with known genealogic…
Diet in transitory society
Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies (35 works) · Demography (29 works) · Geography (28 works) · Population (28 works) · Archaeology (27 works) · Biology (27 works) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies (24 works) · Medicine (18 works) · Sociology (14 works) · Czech (12 works)