HISTORICAL ARTICLE
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Add like
Add dislike
Add to saved papers

Assessing childhood stress in early mediaeval Croatia by using multiple lines of inquiry.

ABSTRACT: Childhood stress, using both subadult and adult remains from early mediaeval (8th -11th c. CE) sites on the eastern Adriatic coast is analysed in this report. A total of 242 individuals (83 subadults, 69 adult females, and 90 adult males) were assessed for the presence of linear enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia, sub-periosteal new bone formation, and scurvy. In addition, the dietary profile of nine subadults was assessed by the analysis of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes from bulk collagen. Over three quarters of individuals with preserved permanent dentition (44/56 or 78.6%) exhibited evidence of linear enamel hypoplasia, while analysis of the onset of this condition shows that all defects formed between 1.2 and 5.6 years of age. Cribra orbitalia was identified in 60 out of 190 individuals with preserved frontal bones (31.6%). Sub-periosteal new bone formation was recorded in 42.6% of analysed subadults (29/68) with fourteen cases still active at the time of death. Additionally, scurvy was identified in three subadults. The isotopic study of carbon and nitrogen suggests that diet of the analysed subadults was based on terrestrial C3 resources, with a varying input from C4 and a low intake of marine resources. The presented study strongly indicates that a large majority of the analysed individuals suffered from poor health during their childhood as indicated by the high frequencies of linear enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia and sub-periosteal new bone formation.

Full text links

We have located links that may give you full text access.
Can't access the paper?
Try logging in through your university/institutional subscription. For a smoother one-click institutional access experience, please use our mobile app.

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

Mobile app image

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app

All material on this website is protected by copyright, Copyright © 1994-2024 by WebMD LLC.
This website also contains material copyrighted by 3rd parties.

By using this service, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Your Privacy Choices Toggle icon

You can now claim free CME credits for this literature searchClaim now

Get seemless 1-tap access through your institution/university

For the best experience, use the Read mobile app