Human intestinal parasites from a latrine in the 12th century Frankish castle of Saranda Kolones in Cyprus

Abstract

Saranda Kolones (Forty Columns) at Paphos in Cyprus was a mediaeval concentric castle built after King Richard I of England captured the island in 1191AD, during the Third Crusade. The aim of this research is to determine whether the garrison of the castle was infected by intestinal parasitic helminths (endoparasites). The analysis was undertaken on soil sediments recovered from a latrine inside the castle. The microscopic examination demonstrated the eggs of two species of parasites, the roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides) and whipworm (Trichuris trichiura). Control samples were negative, confirming the parasite eggs seen were not due to contamination from later time periods. Both roundworms and whipworms are transmitted faecal-orally and thus their presence in Saranda Kolones reflects the poor hygiene conditions that prevailed in mediaeval castles. Past research suggests that 15–20% of crusaders in long expeditions died from malnutrition and infectious diseases. The discovery of these parasites highlights how mediaeval crusaders may have been at risk of malnutrition at times of siege and famine as these worms competed with them for nutrients. This research allows comparison with crusader period latrines from the mainland Levant and helps us reconstruct the health environment of a mediaeval castle.