The Social Context of Bone Health: Conclusions and Future Directions

Just as observed in contemporary society, social status in the Middle Ages was a key determinant of nutrition, health, disease, and general lifestyle. Indeed, there are stark similarities between these two distinct time periods. Ease of access to a nutrient-rich diet and a privileged quality of life can be observed in individuals of upper socio-economic status (SES), whether they be a medieval royal or, for exam-ple, a chief executive officer (CEO) of a major corporation in current times. In contrast, individuals with less access to wealth, and thus fewer options for achieving the highest possible quality of life, are more likely to experience poor health, regard-less of when they lived. Data ascertained from medieval human skeletal samples deriving from a range of European archaeological sites indicate that, just as observed in contemporary society, a social gradient in bone quality is observed.