Physical-anthropological traits of inhabitants of urban and rural settlements of the province Dacia Meditterranea in the 4th-7th century

[D. Vulović]

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Arheologija - Fizička antropologija / Archaeology - Physical anthropology

Predmet istraživanja ove doktorske disertacije su fizičko-antropološke karakteristike stanovnika urbanih i ruralnih naselja, u severozapadnom delu provincije Sredozemne Dakije u periodu IV–VII veka. U disertaciji se polazi od pretpostavke da su se bioarheološke karakteristike drevnih populacija menjale u skladu sa mestom i načinom života, odnosno da se u urbanim i ruralnim naseobinskim celinama, živelo različitim kvalitetom života, da su sanitarni uslovi i ishrana bili drugačiji, da je zdravstveni status bio bolji u urbanim naseljima, kao i da je stanovništvo u ruralnom okruženju bilo izloženije težem fizičkom radu. Te stoga, ciljevi istraživanja su da se na osnovu rezultata antropološke analize humanog osteološkog materijala predstave uslovi života i zdravstveni status dečijih i odraslih individua (praćenjem prisutnosti, odnosno odsutnosti dentalnih, metaboličkih i infektivnih oboljenja, artritisa i patoloških promena na pršljenovima), kao i to da se na osnovu analize enteza prikaže intezitet fizičkih aktivnosti koje su individue obavljale. Humani osteološki materijal analiziran u ovoj studiji čine 243 skeleta sa nekropola otkrivenih u jugoistočnom delu Srbije: Jagodin Mala – Bulevar vojvode Mišića (Niš, antički Naissus), nekropola na kojoj je sahranjivano gradsko stanovništvo, Gladno polje i Latinsko grobište (Bela Palanka, okolina antičke Remesiana-e), nekropole na kojima su sahranjivani stanovnici vile rustike, i Begov most – Staničenje (okolina Pirota, kasnoantički lokalitet Gradište), nekropola na kojoj su sahranjivani stanovnici kasnoantičkog naselja. Rezultati istraživanja su pokazali razliku u stepenu smrtnosti u najranijim životnim kategorijama, prisutnosti metaboličkih i infektivnih oboljenja i nutritivnog stresa kod dečijih individua. Međutim iako ove razlike nisu bile od statističkog značaja, manja stopa smrtnosti u prvim godinama života, kao i manja učestalost metaboličkih oboljenja i nutritivnog stresa (poput skorbuta, cribrae orbitaliae i porozne hiperostoze) kod dece koja su živela u gradskom okruženju, jasno ukazuju na bolje životne uslove u Naisu nego u ostalim naseljima. Kada je reč o odraslim individuama, vidljivo je da najveću učestalost u svim analiziranim dentalnim i skeletnim patologijama imaju stanovnici vile rustike. Značajne statističke razlike prisutne u kategoriji osteoartritisa i Šmorlovog defekta, praćene razlikom u stepenu ispoljavanja enteza, jasno ukazuju da se gradsko stanovništvo manje bavilo fizičkim radom u odnosu na stanovnike vile rustike, posebno kada su u pitanju individue ženskog pola. Da su stanovnici u kasnoantičkom gradu i naselju imali bolje uslove života, ukazuje i manja učestalost parametara za nutritivni stres, poput cribrae orbitaliae i porozne hiperostoze. Komparativne analize, sprovedene u ovoj disertaciji znatno su pomogle razumevanju života u različim neseobinskim celinama tokom kasnoantičkog perioda na teritoriji Srbije, i samim tim su otvorile mnogobrojna pitanja, kojima u budućnosti treba posvetiti pažnju

The research topic of this PhD thesis are the physical-anthropological traits of inhabitants of urban and rural settlements in the north-western part of the province Dacia Mediterranea during the period of the 4th–7th century. The starting point in the thesis is the assumption that bio-archaeological traits of ancient populations changed in accordance with their place and manner of living, namely, that life quality differed in urban and rural settlement units, that sanitary conditions and nourishment were different, that health status was better in urban settlements, and also that the population from rural surroundings had been exposed to more difficult physical labour. Therefore, the goal of this research is to provide a representation, on the basis of results of an anthropological analysis of human osteological material, of life conditions and health status of children and adult individuals (by tracking the presence or absence of dental, metabolic and infective diseases, arthritis and pathological changes on vertebrae), and also to determine the intensity of physical activities performed by those individuals on the basis of an entheses analysis. The human osteological material analysed in this work consists of 243 skeletons from necropoles discovered in the south-eastern part of Serbia: Jagodin Mala – Bulevar Vojvode Mišića (Niš, antique Naissus), a necropolis where urban population was buried, Gladno Polje and Latinsko Grobište (Bela Palanka, in the vicinity of antique Remesiana), necropoles on which inhabitants of the villa rustica were buried, and Begov Most – Staničenje (in the vicinity of Pirot, the late antique site of Gradište), a necropolis on which inhabitants of the late antique settlement were buried. The research results showed a difference in mortality rate at the earliest age categories, presence of metabolic and infective diseases and nutritive stress in children individuals. However, even though these differences had no meaning statistically speaking, a lower mortality rate during the first years of life, as well as a lower frequency of diseases and nutritive stress (such as scurvy, cribrae orbitaliae and porotic hyperostosis) in children who lived in urban areas can be taken as clear indicators of better life conditions in Naissus in respect to other settlements. When it comes to adult individuals, it can be noted that the highest frequency in all analysed dental and skeletal pathologies was found in the inhabitants of the villa rustica. Significant statistic differences present in the osteoarthritis and Schmorl’s node category, followed by a difference in the degree of manifestation of entheses, clearly indicate that urban population did less physical work than the inhabitants of the villa rustica, especially female individuals. The fact that the inhabitants of the late antique city and settlement had better life conditions is also indicated by the frequency of nutritive stress parameters, such as cribrae orbitaliae and porotic hyperostosis. Comparative analyses performed in this thesis have considerably contributed to a better comprehension of life in different settlement units during the Late Antiquity period on the territory of Serbia, thus opening numerous questions, which should be dealt with in future researches.

fizička antropologija, kasnoantički period, Jagodin Mala – Bulevar vojvode Mišića, Gladno polje, Latinsko grobište, Begov most – Staničenje

Physical anthropology, Late Antiquity, Jagodin Mala – Bulevar Vojvode Mišića, Gladno Polje, Latinsko Grobište, Begov Most – Staničenje

572:314.1(398)"03/06"(043.3) 572:314.1(497.11)"03/06"(043.3)

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