| 1. |
- Brødholt, Elin T., et al.
(författare)
-
Bone mineral density through history : Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in archaeological populations of Norway
- 2021
-
Ingår i: Journal of Archaeological Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 2352-409X .- 2352-4103. ; 36
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Information regarding bone mineral density (BMD) and related variations through prehistoric and historic time periods in Norway is scarce. We present results of BMD measurements of 222 individuals from four rural and urban burial sites representing the medieval and post-Reformation period using osteological analysis and dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry. Existing BMD data from 137 individuals dating to the Late Iron Age and medieval period were incorporated. Young medieval females have the highest mean BMD of all time periods, including the modern female population, and significant higher mean BMD than young females from the Late Iron Age (p = 0.02; q = 0.093). Mean BMD increased significantly from the Late Iron Age to the medieval period (p = 0.0002) followed by a significant decline from the medieval to the post-Reformation period (p = 0.014). The overall results reveal significant BMD variation through prehistoric and historic time periods in Norway. The patterns of age-related bone loss observed in the archaeological record are diverse with substantial temporal changes suggesting a transition towards a modern pattern. The bone loss often exceeds that observed in the population today. This study sheds light on long-term historical trends and patterns in Norway by examining BMD variation and age-related bone loss in adult life of males and females within three archaeological time periods and compared to present populations.
|
|
| 2. |
- Brødholt, Elin T., et al.
(författare)
-
Female skeletal health and socioeconomic status in medieval Norway (11th-16th centuries AD) : Analysis of bone mineral density and stature
- 2023
-
Ingår i: International journal of osteoarchaeology. - : Wiley. - 1047-482X .- 1099-1212. ; 33:1, s. 83-93
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Little is known about the possible impact of socioeconomic status on bone health in medieval Norway. We measured bone mineral density in the skeletal remains of 101 females from five medieval burial sites in Eastern Norway representing distinct socioeconomic groups by comparing results from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and osteological analysis. Young adult females of high status were taller than parish population females (5.3 cm, p = 0.01), although their femoral neck bone mineral density did not differ significantly between the two groups (p = 0.127). We found that the parish population females had a significantly higher occurrence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in old adulthood (p = 0.003), with an estimated disease risk of 0.53 versus 0.16 in the high-status group, possibly related to a lower attained maximum bone mineral density. We discuss environmental and genetic factors in light of relevant research literature on life in medieval Norway and offer an explanation for the significant taller stature among high-status females and the higher risk for osteopenia/osteoporosis in the parish population. This work adds to our knowledge of young adult bone mineral density and bone loss in relation to socioeconomic status in a medieval female population of Norway.
|
|
| 3. |
- Brødholt, Elin T., et al.
(författare)
-
Social stratification reflected in bone mineral density and stature : Spectral imaging and osteoarchaeological findings from medieval Norway
- 2022
-
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 17:10
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study presents skeletal material from five medieval burial sites in Eastern Norway, confined to one royal burial church, one Dominican monastery, and three burial sites representing parish populations. We combine osteological analysis and Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, studying the remains of 227 individuals (102 females and 125 males) employing young, middle, and old adult age categories. The aim is to assess bone mineral density as a skeletal indicator of socioeconomic status including stature as a variable. We detected that socioeconomic status significantly affected bone mineral density and stature. Individuals of high status had higher bone mineral density (0.07 g/cm2, p = 0.003) and taller stature (1.85 cm, p = 0.017) than individuals from the parish population. We detected no significant relationship between young adult bone mineral density and socioeconomic status (p = 0.127 and 0.059 for females and males, respectively). For males, high young adult bone mineral density and stature varied concordantly in both status groups. In contrast, females of high status were significantly taller than females in the parish population (p = 0.011). Our findings indicate quite different conditions during growth and puberty for the two groups of females. The age-related pattern of bone variation also portrayed quite different trajectories for the two socioeconomic status groups of both sexes. We discuss sociocultural practices (living conditions during childhood and puberty, as well as nutritional and lifestyle factors in adult life), possibly explaining the differences in bone mineral density between the high-status and parish population groups. The observation of greater differences in bone mineral density and stature for females than males in the medieval society of Norway is also further discussed.
|
|
| 4. |
- Margaryan, Ashot, et al.
(författare)
-
Population genomics of the Viking world
- 2020
-
Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 585:7825, s. 390-396
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The maritime expansion of Scandinavian populations during the Viking Age (about ad750–1050) was a far-flung transformation in world history1,2. Here we sequenced the genomes of 442humans from archaeological sites across Europe and Greenland (to a median depth of about 1×) to understand the global influence of this expansion. We find the Viking period involved gene flow into Scandinavia from the south and east. We observe genetic structure within Scandinavia, with diversity hotspots in the south and restricted gene flow within Scandinavia. We find evidence for a major influx of Danish ancestry into England; a Swedish influx into the Baltic; and Norwegian influx into Ireland, Iceland and Greenland. Additionally, we see substantial ancestry from elsewhere in Europe entering Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Our ancient DNA analysis also revealed that a Viking expedition included close family members. By comparing with modern populations, we find that pigmentation-associated loci have undergone strong population differentiation during the past millennium, and trace positively selected loci—including the lactase-persistence allele of LCT and alleles of ANKA that are associated with the immune response—in detail. We conclude that the Viking diaspora was characterized by substantial transregional engagement: distinct populations influenced the genomic makeup of different regions of Europe, and Scandinavia experienced increased contact with the rest of the continent.
|
|
