The Archaeology of Disease

by Charlotte A. Roberts

This book offers a vivid picture of ancient disease and trauma by combining results of scientific research with information gathered from documents, from other areas of archaeology, and from art and ethnography. The authors provide a context of clinical knowledge about specific ailments and accidents by considering ancient demography, basic bone biology, funerary practise, and prehistoric medicine.

Genres: Archaeology, Science, Nonfiction, Anthropology, History, Reference, Read For School

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1995

About the author

British archaeologist specializing in human remains.

Reviews

[Gillian Brownlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m done! I’m finished! It took me 4 years, but by God I read this textbook cover to cover!

As tedious as it was to read this book, it was crazy interesting. I had no idea how many diseases affected the skeleton, or all the nasty things they do to it.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

An in-depth look at the diseases and ailments that have afflicted mankind since ancient times. A lot more can be learned from a skeleton than just the health of one specimen. The health of one individual's bones and teeth can show how a community was surviving as a whole. If a person was killed, what weapon was used, and what did that show about the conflicts of the times? Diseases such as tuberculosis and syphilis would deform the skeleton, and mental illness or epilepsy might have been treated by drilling holes in the skull to let out the evil. I would recommend this book if the topic interests you.

[Siri Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a quick introduction to the history and archaeology of various diseases and medical conditions fit for the average reader, this is not the book for you. However, if you are a student of archaeology or even a student of medicine with an interest in archaeology, this might just be the book for you. The language is academic and the book functions almost as a reference work, each chapter dealing with a particular kind of disease and going through the various conditions one by one, presenting how they may be visible on the skeleton. It's not an easy-to-read, entertaining account of diseases through time, but rather a handbook in how to identify pathological conditions when all you have is a skeleton. For me personally, I found it a very interesting and illuminating read and would recommend it to people with a serious interest in the subject.

[Katia M. Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extremely thorough review of diseases visible through analysis of skeletal and other preserved remains from antiquity. It gives a brief history of palaeopathology before systematically delving into the various changes observable on remains by different disease processes. There are also discussions on environmental factors, movements of peoples through time and space, diet, culture and occupation. I particularly enjoyed the concluding chapter with its reiterated call from previous editions for a universal collection of comparative material for study. This would require academics from all over the world to share their work under one umbrella, a little like Interpol or CODIS for archaeological human remains, for the benefit of future study and insight into world population health over time. This is an extremely admirable goal and one worthy of effort, but I wonder how easily academics will unite on such a project. 'Share' is not always a word heard in academia, especially in an area as competitive and poorly funded as archaeology/anthropology. It would be nice to see though.

[Sohvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent guidebook. I only hoped for more pictures and drawings (and perhaps in colour). In some cases it was not easy to understand what the pathology looks like.