Denisc

What this skeleton told us: Evidence

A middle-aged or older man and 179 cm tall (5 feet 10 inches). All his teeth had been lost after death. The grave was likely disturbed by the later burial of skeleton 176 and it may have been this disturbance that led to the tooth loss.

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. However, we should remember that humans are very good at adapting to challenging times! This older man was substantially above average height for the period and died at a relatively advanced age, indicating that he was well-nourished and in good general health.