ān-liċ

What this skeleton told us: Evidence

A poorly preserved skeleton, but likely a middle-aged or older woman. The teeth show plaque and some thinning of the dental enamel (enamel defects, or hypoplasia).

Interpretation of the evidence

In Anglo-Saxon Britain, if a woman survived childhood, she could be expected to live into middle-age, provided she maintained good health and did not die during pregnancy or childbirth. However, we should remember that humans are very good at adapting to challenging times! This woman appears to have died at relatively good age which indicates she was well-nourished and in good general health. In common with many of the people buried at the Bowl Hole, dental hygiene appears to have been poor. And her enamel hypoplasia illustrates that in childhood she had a deficient diet or disease.