Leprosy in medieval Denmark

Exploring life histories through a multi‐tissue and multi‐isotopic approach

Bibliographic Data

ID8313446
AuthorsAnastasia Brozou (0000-0002-2106-1107, Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies Aarhus University Højbjerg Denmark, corresponding author), Benjamin T Fuller (0000-0002-5989-8121, Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies Aarhus University Højbjerg Denmark), Vaughan Grimes (0000-0002-2177-3147, Department of Archaeology Memorial University of Newfoundland, Queen's College St. John's Newfoundland Canada), Niels Lynnerup (0000-0002-7771-5376, Department of Forensic Medicine University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark), Jesper L Boldsen (0000-0002-2850-0934, Department of Forensic Medicine University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark), Marie Louise S Jørkov (0000-0002-5283-4328, University of Copenhagen), Marie Louise Jørkov (Department of Forensic Medicine University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark), Dorthe Dangvard Pedersen (0000-0002-4709-9170, Department of Forensic Medicine University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark), Jesper Olsen (0000-0002-4445-5520, Aarhus AMS Centre (AARAMS), Department of Physics and Astronomy Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark), M A Mannino (0000-0001-6807-4434, Aarhus University)
Year2021
Volume176
Issue1
Pages36-53
Publication date2021-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0002-9483 • E-ISSN: 1096-8644
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/ajpa.24339
PMID34096038
OpenAlexW3171672229
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited83

Objectives By focusing on two Danish leprosaria (Næstved and Odense; 13th–16th c. CE) and using diet and origin as proxies, we follow a multi‐isotopic approach to reconstruct life histories of patients and investigate how leprosy affected both institutionalized individuals and the medieval Danish community as a whole. Materials and Methods We combine archaeology, historical sources, biological anthropology, isotopic analyses (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, δ 34 S, 87 Sr/ 86 Sr) and radiocarbon dating, and further analyze bones with different turnover rates (ribs and long bones). Results The δ 13 C, δ 15 N and δ 34 S results indicate a C 3 terrestrial diet with small contributions of marine protein for leprosy patients and individuals from other medieval Danish sites. A similar diet is seen through time, between males and females, and patients with and without changes on facial bones. The isotopic comparison between ribs and long bones reveals no significant dietary change. The δ 34 S and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr results suggest that patients were local to the regions of the leprosaria . Moreover, the radiocarbon dates show a mere 50% agreement with the arm position dating method used in Denmark. Conclusions A local origin for the leprosy patients is in line with historical evidence, unlike the small dietary contribution of marine protein. Although only 10% of the analyzed individuals have rib/long bone offsets that undoubtedly show a dietary shift, the data appear to reveal a pattern for 25 individuals (out of 50), with elevated δ 13 C and/or δ 15 N values in the ribs compared to the long bones, which points toward a communal type of diet and reveals organizational aspects of the institution

Archaeology · Biology · Leprosy · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies · History · Immunology · Paleopathology and ancient diseases