| Abstract: |
Of the one thousand skeletons excavated (see Volume 1: 94/1852), nearly four hundred had coffin plate information giving name, age and date of death. Dates of birth ranged from 1646 to 1852, and dates of death from 1729 to 1852. The known age skeletons have provided the basis for an analysis of growth and ageing processes, and some marked differences from modern samples have been documented. Reconstruction of the social backgrounds of the named individuals has shown that the majority were of Huguenot descent, and that a large proportion were involved in the silk industry. The study has, where possible, integrated the documentary evidence with skeletal characteristics, and burial practices. Such variables as nutrition, oral health, disease, climate, occupation, social, and economic status have been examined in relation to skeletal traits. Obstetric histories were reconstructed, and the reliability of methods of parity assessment were tested. Special reports were as follows: `Oral health' by D K Whittaker (49-66). `The health of the adults' by H A Waldron (67-92). |
