All articles tagged with #bioarchaeology
A new study challenges the long-held belief that the city of Akhetaten was struck by a deadly plague, based on detailed analysis of burial sites, city activity, and population data, which suggest the city was not affected by a catastrophic epidemic but experienced normal life and gradual decline.
Scientists in Italy discovered the nearly complete mummified remains of a teenage boy from the 17th-19th century, preserved by copper corrosion which created a chemical barrier to decay, revealing a new form of natural, metal-induced mummification that challenges traditional assumptions about preservation methods.
Scientists have discovered over 4,400 preserved human brains dating back 12,000 years, shedding light on a new preservation mechanism for the organ. While known methods like dehydration and freezing can preserve brains up to 4,000 years old, the discovery of older brains is rare. The brains, found discolored and shrunken, suggest an unknown preservation process specific to the central nervous system. This finding could provide insights into neurological disorders, ancient cognition, and the evolution of nervous tissues. Ethical concerns are addressed through regulations, but the discovery has sparked varied reactions on social media.
A new study analyzing the remains of plague victims from medieval London has revealed that Black women of African descent were disproportionately affected by the Black Death. The research, led by the Museum of London, found that the number of African Londoners in the cemeteries studied was higher than the percentage of people of African descent living in the city at the time. The study highlights the devastating effects of premodern structural racism and sheds light on the challenges faced by marginalized communities during the Middle Ages.
Researchers have reconstructed the face of an Anglo-Saxon girl who was buried more than 1,300 years ago in Great Britain. The girl, who died around the age of 16, was buried with a gold and garnet-encrusted cross, indicating she was likely an aristocrat or royalty and one of the era’s earliest Christian converts. The research so far has revealed that she lived during the seventh century and likely traveled to England from the Alps in southern Germany. The facial reconstruction offers a new way for the public to imagine the girl as a living person, rather than an academic enigma.
The face of a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon teenager buried near Cambridge has been reconstructed, revealing that she moved to England from Central Europe as a young girl. The young woman was buried with a rare gold and garnet cross, known as the "Trumpington Cross," and was one of only 18 bed burials ever uncovered in the UK. Bioarchaeologists have found that her diet changed significantly after she arrived in England, suggesting that her lifestyle may have changed. The Trumpington Cross and other artifacts from her burial will be displayed in a new exhibition at Cambridge's Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.