All Outputs (57)

Vitamin D status in post-medieval Northern England: Insights from dental histology and enamel peptide analysis at Coach Lane, North Shields (AD 1711–1857) (2024)
Journal Article
Snoddy, A. M. E., Shaw, H., Newman, S., Miszkiewicz, J. J., Stewart, N. A., Jakob, T., …Gowland, R. (2024). Vitamin D status in post-medieval Northern England: Insights from dental histology and enamel peptide analysis at Coach Lane, North Shields (AD 1711–1857). PLoS ONE, 19(1), Article e0296203. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0296203

Objectives: The post-medieval period in Europe saw a dramatic increase in metabolic bone disease related to vitamin D deficiency (VDD). Recent paleopathological work has utilized interglobular dentin (IGD) as a proxy for poor vitamin D status during... Read More about Vitamin D status in post-medieval Northern England: Insights from dental histology and enamel peptide analysis at Coach Lane, North Shields (AD 1711–1857).

The expendables: Bioarchaeological evidence for pauper apprentices in 19th century England and the health consequences of child labour (2023)
Journal Article
Gowland, R. L., Caffell, A. C., Quade, L., Levene, A., Millard, A. R., Holst, M., …Alexander, M. M. (2023). The expendables: Bioarchaeological evidence for pauper apprentices in 19th century England and the health consequences of child labour. PLoS ONE, 18(5), https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0284970

Child labour is the most common form of child abuse in the world today, with almost half of child workers employed in hazardous industries. The large-scale employment of children during the rapid industrialisation of the late 18th and early 19th cent... Read More about The expendables: Bioarchaeological evidence for pauper apprentices in 19th century England and the health consequences of child labour.

Compounding vulnerabilities: Syndemics and the social determinants of disease in the past (2022)
Journal Article
Perry, M. A., & Gowland, R. L. (2022). Compounding vulnerabilities: Syndemics and the social determinants of disease in the past. International Journal of Paleopathology, 39, 35-49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2022.09.002

Objective: This article explores the theory and utility of a syndemic approach for the study of disease in the past. Syndemic principles are examined alongside other theoretical developments within bioarchaeology. Two case studies are provided to ill... Read More about Compounding vulnerabilities: Syndemics and the social determinants of disease in the past.

Creating communities of care: Sex estimation and mobilityhistories of adolescents buried in the cemetery of St. MaryMagdalen leprosarium (Winchester, England) (2022)
Journal Article
Filipek, K., Roberts, C., Montgomery, J., Gowland, R., Moore, J., Tucker, K., & Evans, J. (2022). Creating communities of care: Sex estimation and mobilityhistories of adolescents buried in the cemetery of St. MaryMagdalen leprosarium (Winchester, England). American Journal of Biological Anthropology, 178(1), 108-123. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24498

Objectives: This study examines the biological sex and geographical origins of adolescents buried at the St Mary Magdalen leprosarium (Winchester, UK). The data are combined with archaeological and palaeopathological evidence to broaden the understan... Read More about Creating communities of care: Sex estimation and mobilityhistories of adolescents buried in the cemetery of St. MaryMagdalen leprosarium (Winchester, England).

Health inequality in Britain before 1750 (2021)
Journal Article
Kendall, E. J., Brown, A. T., Doran, T., Gowland, R., & Cookson, R. (2021). Health inequality in Britain before 1750. SSM - Population Health, 16, Article 100957. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100957

Background This study examines the claim that social inequality in health in European populations was absent prior to 1750. This claim is primarily based on comparisons of life expectancy at birth in England between general and ducal (elite aristocra... Read More about Health inequality in Britain before 1750.

Height and health in Roman and Post-Roman Gaul, a life course approach (2021)
Journal Article
Quade, L., & Gowland, R. (2021). Height and health in Roman and Post-Roman Gaul, a life course approach. International Journal of Paleopathology, 35, 49-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpp.2021.10.001

Objective: The present study explores growth and health in Roman (1st-3rd centuries CE) and Post-Roman (4th-7th centuries CE) Gaul, incorporating a life-course approach, to better understand the influence of Roman practices and lifestyles on health,... Read More about Height and health in Roman and Post-Roman Gaul, a life course approach.

Illness and inclusion: Mobility histories of adolescents with leprosy from Anglo‐Scandinavian Norwich (Eastern England) (2021)
Journal Article
Filipek, K. L., Roberts, C. A., Gowland, R. L., Montgomery, J., & Evans, J. A. (2021). Illness and inclusion: Mobility histories of adolescents with leprosy from Anglo‐Scandinavian Norwich (Eastern England). International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 31(6), 1180-1191. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3029

Leprosy is one of the most notorious diseases in history, widely associated with social stigma and exclusion. This study builds on previous work to reevaluate the medicohistorical evidence for social stigma in relation to leprosy. This is achieved by... Read More about Illness and inclusion: Mobility histories of adolescents with leprosy from Anglo‐Scandinavian Norwich (Eastern England).

Death Metal: Evidence for the impact of lead poisoning on childhood health within the Roman Empire (2021)
Journal Article
Moore, J., Filipek, K., Kalenderian, V., Gowland, R., Hamilton, E., Evans, J., & Montgomery, J. (2021). Death Metal: Evidence for the impact of lead poisoning on childhood health within the Roman Empire. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 31(5), 846-856. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3001

The use of lead was ubiquitous throughout the Roman Empire, including material for water pipes, eating vessels, medicine, and even as a sweetener for wine. The toxicity of lead is well established today, resulting in long-term psychological and neuro... Read More about Death Metal: Evidence for the impact of lead poisoning on childhood health within the Roman Empire.

Assessing pathological conditions in archaeological bone using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) (2021)
Journal Article
Kilburn, N. N., Gowland, R. L., Halldórsdóttir, H. H., Williams, R., & Thompson, T. J. (2021). Assessing pathological conditions in archaeological bone using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF). Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 37, Article 102980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.102980

This study aims to investigate the potential of portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF) for identifying pathological conditions in archaeological human skeletal remains. Bone element distribution in relation to known disease categories is ana... Read More about Assessing pathological conditions in archaeological bone using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF).

Sex estimation of teeth at different developmental stages using dimorphic enamel peptide analysis (2021)
Journal Article
Gowland, R., Stewart, N. A., Crowder, K. D., Hodson, C., Shaw, H., Gron, K. J., & Montgomery, J. (2021). Sex estimation of teeth at different developmental stages using dimorphic enamel peptide analysis. American journal of physical anthropology, https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24231

Objectives This study tests, for the first time, the applicability of a new method of sex estimation utilizing enamel peptides on a sample of deciduous and permanent teeth at different stages of mineralization, from nonadults of unknown sex, includin... Read More about Sex estimation of teeth at different developmental stages using dimorphic enamel peptide analysis.

Modeling Health during Societal Collapse: Can Recent History Help Our Understanding of Post-Roman Gaul? (2020)
Journal Article
Quade, L., & Gowland, R. (2020). Modeling Health during Societal Collapse: Can Recent History Help Our Understanding of Post-Roman Gaul?. Bioarchaeology international, 4(3-4), 172-190

Societal collapse results in structural breakdowns and instability, which can affect life expectancy and population health. Previous bioarchaeological studies have, however, sometimes struggled to identify correlations between sociopolitical changes... Read More about Modeling Health during Societal Collapse: Can Recent History Help Our Understanding of Post-Roman Gaul?.

Desperately seeking stress: A pilot study of cortisol in archaeological tooth structures (2020)
Journal Article
Quade, L., Chazot, P., & Gowland, R. (2021). Desperately seeking stress: A pilot study of cortisol in archaeological tooth structures. American journal of physical anthropology, 174(3), 532-541. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24157

Objectives: Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone produced through activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis. It is known as the “stress hormone” for its primary role in the body's stress response and has been the focus of much modern clin... Read More about Desperately seeking stress: A pilot study of cortisol in archaeological tooth structures.

Knock-knees: Identifying genu valgum and understanding its relationship to vitamin D deficiency in 18th to 19th century northern England (2020)
Journal Article
Tschinkel, K., & Gowland, R. (2020). Knock-knees: Identifying genu valgum and understanding its relationship to vitamin D deficiency in 18th to 19th century northern England. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 30(6), 891-902. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2919

Genu valgum is a condition in which a person's knees angle inwards and touch one another creating a ‘knock‐kneed’ appearance during life and potentially causing pain and walking difficulties. The most common cause of genu valgum is medial torsion of... Read More about Knock-knees: Identifying genu valgum and understanding its relationship to vitamin D deficiency in 18th to 19th century northern England.

Hidden dangers? Investigating the impact of volcanic eruptions and skeletal fluorosis in medieval Iceland (2020)
Journal Article
Walser, J. W., Gowland, R. L., Desnica, N., & Kristjánsdóttir, S. (2020). Hidden dangers? Investigating the impact of volcanic eruptions and skeletal fluorosis in medieval Iceland. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 12(3), Article 77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-020-01026-0

Volcanic emissions are known to be a serious source of pollution to humans and animals. This study aimed to examine the possible health burden of fluoride (F) exposure from volcanic eruptions in the past. Osteological analyses were performed on 186 s... Read More about Hidden dangers? Investigating the impact of volcanic eruptions and skeletal fluorosis in medieval Iceland.

At the world’s edge: reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses (2019)
Journal Article
Walser, J. W. I., Kristjánsdóttir, S., Gröcke, D. R., Gowland, R., Jakob, T., Nowell, G., …Montgomery, J. (2020). At the world’s edge: reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses. American journal of physical anthropology, 171(1), 142-163. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23973

Objectives. A multi-isotope study was conducted on individuals buried at Skriðuklaustur monastery (AD 1493–1554) to investigate their geographic origins and dietary composition. Comparative material from individuals excavated from Skeljastaðir, an in... Read More about At the world’s edge: reconstructing diet and geographic origins in medieval Iceland using isotope and trace element analyses.

North and south: A comprehensive analysis of non‐adult growth and health in the industrial revolution (AD 18th–19th C), England (2019)
Journal Article
Newman, S. L., Gowland, R. L., & Caffell, A. C. (2019). North and south: A comprehensive analysis of non‐adult growth and health in the industrial revolution (AD 18th–19th C), England. American journal of physical anthropology, 169(1), 104-121. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23817

Objective Stark health inequalities exist in the present day between the North and South of England, with people in the South, overall, experiencing better health across a range of parameters (e.g., life expectancy and number of years spent in good h... Read More about North and south: A comprehensive analysis of non‐adult growth and health in the industrial revolution (AD 18th–19th C), England.

Volcanoes, medicine, and monasticism: Investigating mercury exposure in medieval Iceland (2018)
Journal Article
Walser, J. W., Kristjánsdóttir, S., Gowland, R., & Desnica, N. (2019). Volcanoes, medicine, and monasticism: Investigating mercury exposure in medieval Iceland. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 29(1), 48-61. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.2712

This study aimed to evaluate the possible use of mercury as a medical treatment at the medieval monastic hospital Skriðuklaustur (ad 1494–1554) in eastern Iceland. The individuals excavated from Skriðuklaustur exhibited a wide range of pathological c... Read More about Volcanoes, medicine, and monasticism: Investigating mercury exposure in medieval Iceland.

Broken Childhoods: Rural and Urban Non-Adult Health during the Industrial Revolution in Northern England (Eighteenth-Nineteenth Centuries) (2018)
Journal Article
Gowland, R., Caffell, A., Newman, S., Levene, A., & Holst, M. (2018). Broken Childhoods: Rural and Urban Non-Adult Health during the Industrial Revolution in Northern England (Eighteenth-Nineteenth Centuries). Bioarchaeology international, 2(1), 44-62. https://doi.org/10.5744/bi.2018.1015

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, England underwent a period of rapid urbanization and industrialization. The detrimental effects of urban living conditions and child factory labor on the health of children during this time has been the... Read More about Broken Childhoods: Rural and Urban Non-Adult Health during the Industrial Revolution in Northern England (Eighteenth-Nineteenth Centuries).

A Novel Investigation into Migrant and Local Health-Statuses in the Past: A Case Study from Roman Britain (2018)
Journal Article
Redfern, R., DeWitte, S., Montgomery, J., & Gowland, R. (2018). A Novel Investigation into Migrant and Local Health-Statuses in the Past: A Case Study from Roman Britain. Bioarchaeology international, 2(1), 20-43. https://doi.org/10.5744/bi.2018.1014

Migration continues to be a central theme in archaeology, and bioarchaeology has made significant contributions toward understanding the disease and demographic consequences of migration in different periods and places. These studies have been enhanc... Read More about A Novel Investigation into Migrant and Local Health-Statuses in the Past: A Case Study from Roman Britain.

Sex determination of human remains from peptides in tooth enamel (2017)
Journal Article
Andre Stewart, N., Fernanda Gerlach, R., Gowland, R. L., Gron, K., & Montgomery, J. (2017). Sex determination of human remains from peptides in tooth enamel. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(52), 13649-13654. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1714926115

The assignment of biological sex to archaeological human skeletons is a fundamental requirement for the reconstruction of the human past. It is conventionally and routinely performed on adults using metric analysis and morphological traits arising fr... Read More about Sex determination of human remains from peptides in tooth enamel.