A palaeopathological analysis of skeletal remains from Bronze Age Mongolia

Abstract

Little is known about the lifeways of the people who inhabited the Mongolian steppe during the Bronze Age (c. 4450-2650 BP). Palaeopathological analysis allows us to draw inferences about the lifeways of past people from the indicators of health and lifestyle recorded in human remains. This paper presents results of analysis of the remains of 25 individuals excavated in northern Mongolia. Overall, the remains demonstrated very little pathology. In particular the lack of evidence for both infectious and non-communicable diseases, along with the patterns of dental pathology indicate a group of people who experienced few health insults and little stress. The types of trauma, Schmorl’s nodes and patterns of degenerative joint disease present in the sample are suggestive of interpersonal violence and horse riding. The findings are consistent with a traditional pastoral lifeway where people live in small groups, rely on a protein-rich diet and use animals for transportation.