PCA has worked on burial sites for more than thirty years, uncovering thousands of skeletons across Britain. Most reflect expected health patterns, but every so often individuals with striking and uncommon pathologies emerge.
At the 26th Annual Conference of the British Association for Biological Anthropology and Osteoarchaeology (BABAO) this week (18-20 September), PCA osteologists James Young Langthorne and Dr Ariadne Lucia Schulz will present two such cases. The event will take place at the University of Leicester, and will also be available to attend virtually.
One individual, from St Mary Newington in Southwark (pictured here), was a young adult with bowed, shortened limbs and pronounced changes to the spine. Although the missing skull prevented a firm diagnosis, the skeleton suggests a serious congenital or metabolic disorder that would have caused pain and mobility issues.
The second case, from the Saxon cemetery at Sun Lane, New Arlesford, shows features consistent with Klippel-Feil Syndrome: fused vertebrae, spinal abnormalities and restricted movement.
Despite their visible differences, both individuals were buried in the main areas of their cemeteries, suggesting social acceptance within their communities.
📅 26th Annual BABAO Conference, 18–20 September
đź“ŤUniversity of Leicester
🎙 James Young Langthorne & Dr Ariadne Lucia Schulz
