Influence of early life environment on later life mortality in catastrophic and non-catastrophic medieval skeletal series from Kutná Hora-Sedlec (Czech Republic, 13th–16th century)

Bibliographic Data

ID19227199
AuthorsHana Brzobohatá (0000-0002-4609-6402, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology, Prague, corresponding author), Filip Velímský (0000-0003-0695-2064, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology, Prague), Jan Frolík (0000-0002-1776-1311, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology, Prague)
Year2026
Volume52
Pages76-86
Publication date2026-01-18
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Paleopathology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1879-9817 • E-ISSN: 1879-9825
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.ijpp.2026.01.002
PMID41548358
OpenAlexW7124727886
LanguageEN
References cited69

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to determine whether the early life environment, broadly characterized by adult lower-limb long bone metrics, is related to later mortality under normal and catastrophic conditions. MATERIALS: The sample for the study was composed of adult human skeletal remains excavated from a medieval cemetery from the 13th to 16th century in Kutná Hora-Sedlec (Czech Republic) (n = 390) under catastrophic (n = 242) and non-catastrophic (n = 148) contexts. METHODS: We collected combined femoral-tibial lengths as a proxy for stature and vertical femoral head breadths as a proxy for body mass. Two-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the effects of the age at death and context of burial on sex-disaggregated osteometric variables. RESULTS: The results showed (1) significant associations between the burial context and both variables in males (shorter lengths/breadths in the catastrophic group), and (2) interaction between the age at death, and the burial context and both variables in females (shorter lengths/breadths were observed among young women who had died during catastrophes). CONCLUSIONS: Adverse living conditions during the growth period could result in reduced resistance to famine/pathogens, and a shorter lifespan in adulthood. SIGNIFICANCE: The results of this study contribute to the growing body of research on long bone metrics as a cumulative measure of health and welfare during growth and on the importance of optimal growth conditions for longevity and resilience. LIMITATIONS: We merged two mortality crises, the nature of which has not yet been fully determined, in the catastrophic dataset. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: Following assignment of mass graves in the future, comparisons should be made between the first and second mortality crises

Historical demography · Life expectancy · Mortality rate · Series (stratigraphy) · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · Paleopathology and ancient diseases