cræftiġ

What this skeleton told us: Evidence

A young woman ages around 25 to 35 years and 166 cm tall (5 feet 4 inches). There is plaque on some teeth, and thinning of the enamel (enamel defects, or hypoplasia) on the teeth.

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. However, we should remember that humans are very good at adapting to challenging times! Her above average height for the period suggests she was well-nourished during childhood, but her enamel hypoplasia illustrates that in childhood she had a deficient diet or disease. There is no evidence of cause of death but both pregnancy and childbirth were not without risk in the Anglo-Saxon period.