Paleopatología en tres conjuntos funerarios medievales de Burriana (Castellón)

Zusammenfassung

This work presents the first anthropological and paleopathological study carried out over three medieval funerary sets in Burriana (Castellon). A total of 69 skeletons have been studied. All can be dated to a specific chronology stretching from the beginning of the town in the 10th century to the 15th century. Specifically the bone collections studied correspond to the following archaeological sites: Islamic necropolis from the district of El Palau (9th century) (n=6), Islamic necropolis from the Portal de Valencia (11th to 13th centuries) (n=14), Christian necropolis from the Iglesia del Salvador (from the 14th-15th centuries until the 18th century) (n=49). A basic demographic analysis along with a paleopathological analysis has been carried out in the different funerary complexes. Amongst the paleopathological findings the indicators relating to deficiency or infection are particularly relevant: a high incidence of cribra orbitalia and parietal porotic hyperostosis and some examples of periostitis in the bone remains of infants and adults at sea level (attributed to pulmonary tuberculosis), and femorotibial remains (due to treponematosis). Furthermore, a fragment of animal tibia has been recovered from the Christian necropolis of the Iglesia del Salvador (possibly a bovid metapodial), that shows anthropic manipulation, filed on four sides of the diaphysis and small incisions on all of them, produced by repeated striking. This piece is associated with its use as an anvil to sharpen the serrated metal sickle used to reap wheat. There are very few published examples of this type of bone piece used by smiths.