Bioanthropological Analysis of the 18th–19th Century Skeletal Samples Discovered at the “Adormirea Maicii Domnului” Roman Catholic Cathedral of Iași (Romania)

Abstract

The article proposes a bioanthropological study of a small skeletal sample (including 13 skeletons belonging to mature males, from inhumation and reburial places) discovered and exhumed during 2017–2018 archaeological excavations, at the “Adormirea Maicii Domnului” (Assumption) Roman Catholic Cathedral of Iași (Romania). According to the information provided by the archaeologists, the skeletons belonged to the 18th–19th centuries. All 13 subjects were mature, belonging to three age categories: 45–50 year-old (one subject), 50–55 year-old (three subjects) and 55–60 yearold (nine subjects). Biometric and morphological data is precarious, due to unsatisfactory condition of skeletal preservation. Pathologies and abnormalities were identified and analysed: dental enamel hypoplasia, dental caries, metopic suture, cranial trauma, hypodontia, hyperdontia, supragingival dental calculus, osteoarthritis, sacral spina bifida occulta, fractures, extra facets on the tibiotalar joint and supratrochlear foramen of the humerus.

Keywords

• human skeletons
• 18th–19th centuries
• roman catholic cathedral of iași (românia)
• bioanthropology