In a cemetery in southern Sweden, a male skeleton with a severe dislocated fracture of the knee was found. The discovery is telling experts how individuals with disabilities were treated in society during the late medieval period.
It is the first time that medieval remains from the Nordic region have been studied in this way.
The skeleton belonged to a man who was about 30 years old when he died. He lived in the late Middle Ages (1300 to 1536 CE). Sometime in his twenties, his left femur was badly broken at the knee joint.
As a result, he was left permanently disabled and could not walk without assistance. He required a mobility aid to get around.
The injury could have been caused by a kick from a horse or a heavy object, such as a stone, falling onto his knee. An analysis of the skeleton revealed that the man received considerable care.
He was likely given pain relief remedies, including ointments made of alcohol, opium, and lavender oil. He also had help with cleaning and dressing the wound.
In addition, he would have required regular treatment for bone marrow inflammation, which probably involved opening the wound to drain out the pus.
The researchers of the study examined historical records to learn more about how the individual’s disability was viewed in the society at the time. They uncovered a rather complex picture.
According to religious views, a physical disability was either seen as a punishment or a test of strength and perseverance. However, the Church collected and distributed money, food, and other goods to the disabled, while its monasteries provided medical care.
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In some cases, visible disability was associated with criminality. Punishments for crimes committed often involved removing body parts, such as the nose, ears, eyes, hands, and feet. Furthermore, any injury that could be covered up by clothing or hair was considered less severe.
Ultimately, the male individual was able to receive long-term medical care and was buried in a prominent space in the cemetery, indicating that he had a high social status. He was laid to rest on top of stones at the base of a church tower.
Back then, people of a higher class made it a goal to be buried as close to the church as possible. The man’s higher social status must have outweighed his disability.
“Deducing social norms regarding physical impairment and disability from religious and legal texts is difficult because it presents an idealized perspective,” said Blair Nolan from Lund University in Sweden.
“We can enrich our understanding of disability and identity through detailed osteological and archaeological analysis.”
Overall, the combination of osteological analysis methods and historical records proves that this man’s social status allowed him to avoid certain cultural prejudices surrounding disabilities.
The findings of the study were published in Open Archaeology.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
