Wine

What this skeleton told us: Evidence

A middle-aged or older woman, but no further evidence in her skeleton related to her life history was present.

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! Obstetric death was likely common in Anglo-Saxon Britain, and many women died with the child, or shortly afterwards from childbed fever (postpartum infection).