Cwalu

What this skeleton told us: Evidence

An older man and 177 cm tall (5 feet 10 inches). Tooth decay and plaque are present and there is clear evidence for tooth loss during his lifetime. He possibly has a break (fracture) to his left 11th rib that appears well healed, and there is fusion of some joints between the 12th thoracic and 2nd to 4th lumbar vertebrae.

Interpretation of the evidence

In Anglo-Saxon Britain, it is likely that if a man survived childhood, he could expect to live a fairly long life, at least into middle-age, provided he maintained good health and was not killed in battle. This man was above average height for the period and died at a relatively advanced age, indicating that he was well-nourished and in good general health. However, we should remember that humans are very good at adapting to challenging times! In common with many of the people buried at the Bowl Hole, dental hygiene appears to have been poor for this elderly man, and tooth decay indicates sugar in his diet. He had gum disease and he had lost teeth, he may have had bad breath.

The Seven: The Scandinavian Man

This 60-year old man may have been drawn from Norway or Sweden by the artistic and intellectual reputation of Bamburgh’s Golden Age community.