Life and death in medieval Gaelic Ireland : the skeletons from Ballyhanna, Co. Donegal

In 2003, the skeletal remains of some 1,300 individuals—men, women and children—were uncovered from Ballyhanna, near Ballyshannon in Co. Donegal. Radiocarbon dating indicates that the cemetery was in use for a prolonged period from the 7th to the 17th century. The remains of all individuals were the subject of detailed osteological and palaeopathological analysis. This book contextualizes the results of the research, including a wealth of information revealing the health, diet and lifestyle of the people buried at Ballyhanna. The analysis represents the first comprehensive study of a skeletal population from medieval Gaelic Ireland and provides detailed insights concerning the hitherto largely invisible lower class of Gaelic society. Cover 1 Dedication 3 Title page 4 Copyright page 5 Table of contents 6 List of abbreviations 8 List of figures 10 List of tables 16 Acknowledgments 22 Foreword 24 1 Introduction 26 2 History and archaeology 41 3 Burial practices at medieval Ballyhanna 63 4 The condition of the human remains 96 5 The people 115 6 Developmental conditions 140 7 Dental disease and diet 162 8 Evidence for physiological stress 183 9 Specific metabolic diseases 218 10 Circulatory disorders 236 11 Non-specific infections 248 12 Tuberculosis 282 13 Day-to-day injuries 308 14 Joint disease 344 15 Violence 380 16 Medicine, treatment and society 395 17 Conclusions 413 Appendix 1 427 Bibliography 431 Index 456 In 2003, the skeletal remains of some 1300 individuals - men, women and children - were uncovered from Ballyhanna, near Ballyshannon in County Donegal. The remains of the all the individuals were the subject of detailed osteological and palaeo-pathological analysis. This book contextualizes the results of the research, including a wealth of information revealing the health, diet and lifestyle of the people buried at Ballyhanna.