Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze human skeletal remains from 13th—14th centuries burials discovered on the territory of the Lower Castle in Polotsk, Belarus. The article deals with the morphological characteristics of medieval urban population and skeletal stress indicators such as mortality and cribra orbitalia.
 According to most craniological characteristics, a series of male skulls from Polotsk of the 13th—14th centuries is similar to a sample of the medieval rural population of Polotsk land from burial mounds of the 11th—13th centuries. The differences relate to an increase in the cranial index in the later Polotsk series, which reflects the onset of epoch-making brachycephalization. In addition, Polotsk urban population differs from the rural population in a number of features characterizing the structural features of the facial skeleton (a higher face, a larger index of facial protrusion, a smaller protrusion of the nose). These differences can be genetically determined and indicate the participation of the alien component in the formation of Polotsk medieval population.
 The body length of adult men from Polotsk varies within 162—175 cm and averages 169.5 cm. The body length of adult women varies within 147—159 cm and averages 156 cm. Compared to the later Polotsk population of 17th—18th centuries, the medieval urban population was taller (2.5 cm in men and 2 cm in women).
 The average age of adult death in the studied group was 35.1 years. The average age of death for Polotsk women was 3 years less than for men.
 The group of Polotsk medieval population is characterized by relatively high frequencies of cribra orbitalia. Among adults, the indicator is present in 32.2 % of cases, among children — in 55.5 % of cases.
 Compared with the rural population of the 11th—13th centuries urban population of Polotsk of the 13th—14th centuries had higher mortality rates and increased incidence of cribra orbitalia, which indicates deterioration in general health in Polotsk urban population. The most probable causes of this phenomenon were, on the one hand, negative factors of urbanization, and on the other hand, the cooling of the climate, which began in Europe in the 14th century and led to deterioration in the living conditions of a significant part of the region’s population.
Highlights
Polotsk (Polack) is one of the oldest city of Belarus and eastern Slavs
For a long time Polotsk became an important outpost in the north of the state, with the help of which the great princes of Lithuania spread their influence to neighboring Russian lands, and fought against the Livonian Order
Higher incidence of cribra orbitalia were characteristic for the population of Polotsk 13th—14th centuries, as well as increased mortality compared to the medieval ru ral population
Summary
Polotsk (Polack) is one of the oldest city of Belarus and eastern Slavs. In the 9th century Polotsk was a tribal center of the Polotsk Krivichi. During this period, Polotsk was well known to the Scandinavians under the name Pal(l)teskia, Pallteskioborg. Unlike other Kievan Rus cities, in the 13th century Polotsk did not experience the invasion of the Mongol-Tatars and Crusaders. At the beginning of the 14th century Polotsk became part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. For a long time Polotsk became an important outpost in the north of the state, with the help of which the great princes of Lithuania spread their influence to neighboring Russian lands, and fought against the Livonian Order
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