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'Bone biographies' reveal lives of medieval England's common people -- and illuminate early benefits system
Science Daily ^

Posted on 12/03/2023 6:33:22 AM PST by FarCenter

...

The website coincides with a study from the team published in the journal Antiquity, which investigates the inhabitants of the hospital of St. John the Evangelist.

Founded around 1195, this institution helped the "poor and infirm," housing a dozen or so inmates at any one time. It lasted for some 300 years before being replaced by St. John's College in 1511. The site was excavated in 2010.

"Like all medieval towns, Cambridge was a sea of need," said Robb. "A few of the luckier poor people got bed and board in the hospital for life. Selection criteria would have been a mix of material want, local politics, and spiritual merit."

The study gives an inside look at how a "medieval benefits system" operated. "We know that lepers, pregnant women and the insane were prohibited, while piety was a must," said Robb. Inmates were required to pray for the souls of hospital benefactors, to speed them through purgatory. "A hospital was a prayer factory."

Molecular, bone and DNA data from over 400 remains in the hospital's main cemetery shows inmates to be an inch shorter on average than townsfolk. They were more likely to die younger, and show signs of tuberculosis.

Inmates were more likely to bear traces on their bones of childhoods blighted by hunger and disease. However, they also had lower rates of bodily trauma, suggesting life in the hospital reduced physical hardship or risk.

Children buried in the hospital were small for their age by up to five years' worth of growth. "Hospital children were probably orphans," said Robb. Signs of anaemia and injury were common, and about a third had rib lesions denoting respiratory diseases such as TB.

(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ancientautopsies; archeology; europe; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; history; middleages; renaissance
Much more at the link.
1 posted on 12/03/2023 6:33:22 AM PST by FarCenter
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To: FarCenter

Could they tell which gender people identified as by the bone fragments, or would that be too much science?

EC


2 posted on 12/03/2023 6:56:05 AM PST by Ex-Con777
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To: Ex-Con777

If the bones contain DNA, they can analyze it by PCR for the presence or absence of Y chromosome specific genes.

Depending on how intact bone fragments are, it may be possible to determine the shape of the pelvis, which would show whether male or female.

XX chromosomes cause people to “identify” as female.
XY chromosomes cause people to “identify” as male.

Only rare genetic abnormalities cause males to identify as females and vice versa. The fad of identifying as the opposite gender despite a lack genetic mutations or regardless of the presence or absence of a Y chromosome is just that: a fad which has no basis in physical reality.


3 posted on 12/03/2023 8:06:27 AM PST by exDemMom (Dr. exDemMom, infectious disease and vaccines research specialist.)
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To: exDemMom

You missed the political ramifications of the question, Dingbat.

The implied point is that “science” has been corrupted.

Oh wait, no wonder you ignored it.


4 posted on 12/03/2023 8:23:12 AM PST by grey_whiskers ( The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: exDemMom; Ex-Con777

Really? I thought “the science” was unable to conclude anything about gender identity from such utterly circumstantial biological notions.


5 posted on 12/03/2023 8:27:15 AM PST by AndyJackson
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To: FarCenter

But, until recently, poverty was the norm for most people.


6 posted on 12/03/2023 8:30:32 AM PST by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this๐Ÿ’ฉ? ๐Ÿšซ๐Ÿ’‰! ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฑ๐Ÿ‘!)
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To: grey_whiskers
You missed the political ramifications of the question, Dingbat.

Come on. No need for name calling.

Just refute what she says and leave it at that.

7 posted on 12/03/2023 9:20:02 AM PST by Lizavetta
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To: Lizavetta
Sorry, you might not have known the back story.

She's been trolling for the clot shots for months -- and at one point, falsely claimed to be on a first-name basis with Dr. Malone, having been in grad school under him -- before turning around and calling him a kook.

(She had done one project in his lab for a few weeks).

She is continually dismissing PhDs and MDs far more qualified than her as kooks and charlatans; and dismissing other FReepers who talk first hand of jab-related injuries within their own families.

At this point, Dingbat is going easy.

8 posted on 12/03/2023 9:42:08 AM PST by grey_whiskers ( The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: grey_whiskers
I'm aware of her posts and the name ExDemMom as if that gives her Freeper cred. I get it.

I'm just objecting to name calling. Stick to nailing her with proof of her wrongness point by point by point.

9 posted on 12/03/2023 9:48:53 AM PST by Lizavetta
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

10 posted on 12/03/2023 5:29:14 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: SunkenCiv
.......Entertainment left much to be desired................
11 posted on 12/04/2023 5:25:31 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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