Yrfe

What this skeleton told us: Evidence

A young adult, likely female and 162 cm tall (5 feet 4 inches).

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! There is nothing of particular note in her skeletons that gives clues to her health (or cause of death) but both pregnancy and childbirth were not without risk during the Anglo-Saxon period.