The Bioarchaeology of Urbanization in Denmark

Abstract

The medieval period in Denmark saw increasing urbanization with the development of more heavily structured towns focused around market centers. This was influenced by de-population in the mid-fourteenth century leading to socioeconomic and political restructuring. It has been suggested that these changes would have influenced population health, with disparities between rural and urban contexts, although bioarchaeological studies have thus far revealed inconsistent patterns. Using a microscopic approach to examine enamel developmental defects alongside mortality profiles, this research examines population differences in health and stress for urban and rural sites in and around the town of Horsens. The sample encompasses a rural site that went out of use by the mid-fourteenth century (Tirup), another rural site that saw continued use into the sixteenth century (Sejet), and an urban site that was contemporary with Sejet (Ole Wormsgade). The findings suggest site differences in mortality and early life stress, with some temporal patterning. The population at Tirup experienced more stress and reduced survivorship in the younger segment of the population. Temporal changes at the other two sites suggest a decrease in survivorship in the period from AD 1250 to AD 1350, with an increase in survivorship in the subsequent period (AD 1350–1400). Individuals at Sejet also experienced stress earlier in childhood than those at Ole Wormsgade, but the mortality patterns are similar between the two sites. This speaks to the complex nature of urbanization in this period in Denmark and provides insight into how populations respond to stress while experiencing a slow rate of urbanization.