Ludność dawnego Torunia w świetle badań antropologicznych

Abstract

The paper presents a general anthropological characterization of early Post-medieval inhabitants of Toruń, carried out based on the anthropological examination of skeletons coming from the cemetery discovered at Wały gen. Sikorskiego Street in Toruń (site 114). Craniological measurements were used for the preliminary comparison of skulls from Toruń and skulls from selected, historical populations diversified both in chronological and geographical terms. There was also reconstructed the height of body of former Toruń inhabitants, which is presented against the background of other historical communities of Poland. It was also carried out a review of some of more interesting pathological changes, amongst others of inflammatory, infectious and metabolic nature, as well as traces of bone injuries and degenerative changes of joints. The population in question, living in the 14th–18th century in the city suburbs, in terms of size and proportions of skulls’ construction have some similarities to craniological series obtained from not too distant Słaboszewo, as well as from Wrocław and central Germany. Skull of men and women from Toruń in light of length-width indicator are short (brachycephalic). Body height of the analysed population is in the range of medium and low values. In this respect the inhabitants of Toruń suburb resemble even the early medieval population. The qualitative image of pathological changes recorded on the remains most likely does not differ from other skeletal populations from Pomerania and wider from Poland. Nevertheless, the population in question is characterized by a particularly high percentage of skulls showing cribra orbitalia. It can be also assumed that population of Toruń suburbs was not particularly exposed to the risk of skeleton injury. New skeletal materials, as well as modern research techniques, which we plan to apply in subsequent stages of research will enable, perhaps, even more detailed and indepth recognition of life history and circumstances of death of former Toruń inhabitants.