Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (17.2005(2007))

ALEXANDRIA

EGYPT

expressed by real and not integer values
appeared as the result of taking into account
in the analysis cases in which the age deter-
mination was less precise and thus covered
more than one category at a time. In view of
their biological character, the ranges of
particular groups given in years of age have
been supplied here in parentheses merely for
general orientation purposes.
Basic paleopathological analysis'' cover-
ed 65 skeletons of all three phases of the
burial ground (including 26 male, 24
female and 15 indeterminate). It demon-
strated (Table 4 and Chart 3) that 16 in-
dividuals suffered from degenerative spinal
changes. Of these, five were light, two of
average severity and nine very strongly

articulated. Joint changes were also in-
cluded in this group. Both kinds of change
were observed more frequently in men.
Considering the relative gender balance
observed in the material, it appears jus-
tified to presume that men in the exam-
ined society, more than women, took up
activities that burdened their joints and
spinal column.7 8)
Porotic hyperostosis changes caused by
iron deficiency (cribra orbitalia and others)
were observed in four (36.36%) of the total
number of 11 juvenile individuals (which
makes for 73.33% of all 15 of the exam-
ined individuals whose gender could be de-
termined) and in nine (34.62%) of the men
and five (20.83%) of the women.

Age structure


Infans I Infans II luvenis Adultus Maturus Senilis indeter-
(0-7) (7-14) (14-20) (20-35) (35-55) (55-x) minate

Age Intervals

■ l
□
□ ? +

2 - indeterminate, H - sum
Chart 2. Age at death of individuals buried in the Upper Necropolis.

7 For an excellent guidebook in this respect, cf. A.C. Aufderheide, C. Rodriguez-Martin, The Cambridge Encyclopedia
of Human Paleopathology (Cambridge 1998).
8 More studies are necessary to confirm or reject these preliminary conclusions.

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