Digging up the Victims of the Black Death: a bioarchaeological perspective on the second plague pandemic - Archive ouverte HAL
Chapitre D'ouvrage Année : 2020

Digging up the Victims of the Black Death: a bioarchaeological perspective on the second plague pandemic

Résumé

The Black Death, the first outbreak of medieval plague that spread across Western Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe between AD 1346 and 1352, was one of the most devastating recorded catastrophes in human history. This widespread epidemic caused dramatic losses, surpassing those of any subsequent large-scale disaster. This chapter provides some reflections about the future directions that could be taken to expand our understanding of the dynamics of plague epidemics. By examining skeletons, anthropologists can assess the ages at which the people died, their sex and whether they experienced diseases or physiological stress, as well as certain aspects of their diet and physical activities. Bioarchaeological research also holds the potential to provide information on the pre-existing health of plague victims, as evidenced by skeletal lesions related to physiological stress or diseases.
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Dates et versions

hal-02921675 , version 1 (25-08-2020)

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Citer

Sacha Kacki. Digging up the Victims of the Black Death: a bioarchaeological perspective on the second plague pandemic. Gerrard C.; Forlin P.; Brown P. Waiting for the End of the World? New Perspectives on Natural Disasters in Medieval Europe, 1, Routledge, pp.259-279, 2020, 9780367902636. ⟨10.4324/9781003023449-17⟩. ⟨hal-02921675⟩

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