Bioarcheology of bone remains from medieval burials from Armenia

Abstract

The aim of this article was to document the paleopathology of the individuals from the archeological sites of the Early Middle Age from burials from the Armenia (Lori and Syunik provinces). The examined groups consisted of osteological remains of 28 individuals (10 men, 5 women, 8 children and 5 without sex definition). The standard assessment program of skeletal pathological conditions and x-ray and histopathology methods were applied. The custom of deliberate ring deformation of a head was known in the population of the Syunik province. Artificial cranial modification is performed during infancy or early childhood while the cranial bones remain malleable. Deformation of the occiput is directly dependent on the characteristics of the device cradle. Two cradle-deformed skulls were identified from the Angehakot burials.

The analysed samples is characterised by the presence of pathological changes which are often associated with stressful episodes such as anaemia, inadequate nutrition, infectious diseases and the occurrence of parasites. A total of 9 (n=28) of the individuals in the samples presented with well-healed, healing or perimortem fractures. One case in particular showed signs of a traumatic death. The spread of signs of inflammatory processes in the adult and child population indicates the presence of a wide range of factors influencing the appearance of various infectious diseases of a non-specific nature, such as poor hygiene and population density. There are no gender differences in the distribution of degenerative-dystrophic lesions of the joints and spine. Probably meat was the basis of the diet of the medieval population of Armenia.

Although the sample size was small in the case of 4 sites, bioarchaeological data from the studied historical population of Lori and Syunik provinces are useful in understanding the lifeways of the ancient Armenian population.