Human Remains from Kültepe-Kanesh Preliminary Results of the Old Assyrian Burials from the 2005–2008 Excavations

Abstract

The first studies on the human remains from Kültepe-Kanesh were carried out by muzaffer Şenyürek in the 1950s but no further work was conducted until recently following the new excavation campaigns in Kültepe- Kanesh. This is a preliminary report of the human osteology studies that i have conducted since 2007. The study material includes the human skeletal remains of forty-five individuals found in the lower town between the 2005 and 2008 field seasons. The skeletons are dated to the old assyrian period (middle Bronze age). The osteological analysis included sex and age assessments, stature estimations of adults and pathological observa- tions of both adult and nonadult remains. pathological indicators such as cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, periostitis, linear enamel hypoplasia, maxillary sinusitis, osteoarthritis, and trauma were used to identify the general health status of the sample. The frequencies and distribution patterns of health indicators show that the physiological stress level was relatively high and joint diseases were quite common in the sample. it is assumed that the sample represents a low social-status group in the population.