Understanding Disability and Physical Impairment in Early Medieval England: an Integration of Osteoarchaeological and Funerary Evidence

Abstract

THIS PAPER INVESTIGATES physical impairment and disability in the c 5th to 6th centuries ad in England through a combination of osteological and funerary analyses. A total of 1,261 individuals, 33 of whom had osteologically identifiable physical impairment, from nine early medieval cemeteries were included. The funerary data for all individuals in each cemetery was collected, and the individuals with physical impairment were analysed palaeopathologically. The burial treatment of individuals with and without physical impairment was compared both quantitatively and qualitatively, and patterns within and between cemeteries were explored to investigate contemporary perceptions and understandings of impairment and disability. The results suggest that some people with physical impairment and potential disability were buried with treatment that was arguably positive, while others were buried with treatment that was either normative or potentially negative. This suggests that, in the same way as the rest of the community, individuals with physical impairment and potential disability had a variety of identities (that may or may not have been influenced by their impairment or disability) and could occupy different social spaces/statuses.

Résumé

Comprendre le handicap et l’infirmité physique au Haut Moyen-Âge en Angleterre : intégration des vestiges ostéoarchéologiques et funéraires par Solange Bohling, Karina Croucher et Jo Buckberry

Ce papier examine l’infirmité physique et le handicap aux 5^e et 6^e siècles en Angleterre, au travers d’une combinaison d’analyses ostéologiques et funéraires. Au total, 1261 personnes provenant de neuf cimetières du Haut Moyen-Âge sont inclues, dont 33 qui présentaient une infirmité physique identifiable du point de vue de l’ostéologie. Les données funéraires de toutes les personnes dans chaque cimetière ont été recueillies et toutes celles présentant une infirmité physique ont fait l’objet d’une analyse paléopathologique. Le traitement funéraire des personnes avec et sans infirmité physique a été comparé sur les plans quantitatif et qualitatif, et les tendances dans chaque cimetière et d’un cimetière à l’autre ont été explorées pour étudier les perceptions et interprétations contemporaines de l’infirmité physique et du handicap. Les résultats suggèrent que certaines personnes présentant une infirmité physique et un possible handicap ont fait l’objet d’un traitement funéraire qu’on pourrait qualifier de positif, tandis que d’autres ont été traitées d’une manière qui était soit normative, soit potentiellement négative. Ceci laisse penser que, comme c’est le cas dans le reste de la population, les personnes présentant une infirmité physique et un possible handicap avaient diverses identités (qui ont pu être influencées ou non par leur handicap ou invalidité) et pouvaient occuper différents espaces sociaux ou statuts dans la société.

Zussamenfassung

Behinderungen und körperliche Beeinträchtigungen im frühmittelalterlichen England verstehen: Eine Integration osteoarchäologischer und funerärer Zeugnisse von Solange Bohling, Karina Croucher und Jo Buckberry

DIESER BEITRAG UNTERSUCHT körperliche Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen im ca. 5. bis 6. Jahrhundert n. Chr. in England anhand einer Kombination aus osteologischen Analysen und Grabanalysen. Insgesamt wurden 1261 Individuen aus neun frühmittelalterlichen Friedhöfen untersucht, von denen 33 eine osteologisch identifizierbare körperliche Beeinträchtigung aufwiesen. Die Bestattungsdaten aller Personen auf jedem Friedhof wurden gesammelt und die Individuen mit einer körperlichen Beeinträchtigung paläopathologisch analysiert. Die Bestattungsweise von Individuen mit körperlichen Beeinträchtigungen wurde sowohl quantitativ als auch qualitativ mit jener von Individuen ohne derartige Beeinträchtigungen verglichen und es wurden Muster innerhalb eines Friedhofes und zwischen den Friedhöfen untersucht, um die damaligen Wahrnehmungen und Auffassungen von Beeinträchtigung und Behinderung zu erforschen. Die Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass einige Menschen mit einer körperlichen Beeinträchtigung und potenziellen Behinderung bei ihrer Bestattung eine Behandlung erfuhren, die wohl positiv war, während andere entweder eine normative oder potenziell negative Behandlung erfuhren. Dies lässt vermuten, dass Menschen mit einer körperlichen Beeinträchtigung und potenziellen Behinderung ebenso wie die übrige Gesellschaft verschiedenste Identitäten hatten (eventuell aber nicht zwingend beeinflusst von ihrer Beeinträchtigung oder Behinderung) und unterschiedliche soziale Räume/Status einnehmen konnten.

Riassunto

Comprendere l’invalidità e la menomazione nell’Inghilterra altomedievale: integrazione di documentazioni osteoarcheologiche e funerarie di Solange Bohling, Karina Croucher e Jo Buckberry

QUESTO STUDIO ESAMINA l’invalidità e la menomazione nell’Inghilterra del V e VI secolo d.C. mediante l’abbinamento di analisi osteologiche e funerarie. In tutto si sono esaminati 1.261 individui, di cui 33 mostravano menomazioni identificabili osteologicamente, provenienti da nove cimiteri altomedievali. Per ogni individuo di ciascun cimitero si sono raccolti i dati funerari e gli individui che presentavano menomazioni sono stati analizzati paleopatologicamente. Si sono paragonate, sia qualitativamente che quantitativamente, le modalità di sepoltura degli individui con o senza menomazioni e si sono esaminati gli schemi, sia all’interno di un cimitero che tra un cimitero e l’altro, per investigare come venissero avvertite e capite all’epoca le menomazioni e l’invalidità. I risultati indicano che alcune persone con menomazioni e potenziali invalidità venivano sepolte con modalità probabilmente positive, mentre altre venivano sepolte con modalità regolari o potenzialmente negative. Questo indica che, come per il resto della comunità, gli individui con menomazioni e potenziali invalidità avevano caratteristiche personali diverse (che potrebbero essere o non essere state influenzate dalla loro menomazione o invalidità) e che potevano occupare posizioni sociali diverse.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research required access to skeletal collections and unpublished archives around the United Kingdom, which was facilitated and arranged by many helpful people. Research trips were financed by the University of Bradford, School of Archaeology and Forensic Sciences’ research funds for PhD students. The authors are grateful to the Novium Museum (with the assistance of Portia Tremlett and Amy Roberts) for access to the Apple Down skeletal collection, the Corinium Museum (with the assistance of Dr Alison Brookes and James Harris) and Oxford Archaeology (with the assistance of Geraldine Crann, Leigh Allen, and Dr Louise Loe) for access to the Butler’s Field skeletal collection, Cambridgeshire County Council Historic Environment Team (with the assistance of Sally Croft and Ben Donnelly-Symes) for access to the Edix Hill skeletal collection, the Duckworth Laboratory, University of Cambridge, for permission to study material within its collections (Finglesham and Worthy Park), Dr Sally Crawford of the Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford, for access to the Finglesham archive (which is now held at the Ashmolean Museum), Tees Archaeology (with the assistance of Rachel Grahame and Robin Daniels) for access to the Norton East Mill skeletal collection and unpublished archives, Eastbourne Borough Council (with the assistance of Jo Seaman and Katherine Buckland) for access to the St Anne’s Hill skeletal collection and unpublished archives, Oxfordshire Museums Service (with the assistance of David Moon and Angie Bolton) for access to the Watchfield skeletal collection and unpublished archives, Nottinghamshire County Council (with the assistance of Ursilla Spence, Emily Gillott and David Littlewood) and Nottingham City Museums and Galleries (with the assistance of Ann Inscker) for access to the skeletal collection, unpublished monograph, and archive for the Windmill Hill excavation, Dr Emma Green for access to her unpublished demographic data for the Windmill Hill cemetery, and the Hampshire Cultural Trust (with the assistance of Ross Turle and Jo Bailey) for access to the Worthy Park skeletal collection.