Graduation Date
Summer 2026
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Arts degree with a major in Applied Anthropology
Committee Chair Name
Marissa Ramsier
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Katherine Menor
Second Committee Member Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Third Committee Member Name
Dara Adams
Third Committee Member Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Keywords
Bioarchaeology, Anthropology, Trauma, Pathology, Entheseal changes, Medieval Europe, Poland, Pomerania, Osteoarthritis, Osteology, Healing, Survival, Bioarchaeology of care, Archaeology
Abstract
Traditionally, studies in bioarcheology have cited the presence of individuals with evidence of healed traumatic injuries and certain pathologies as an indication of social care either at the time of the trauma or throughout the individual’s lifetime. Here, I present three case studies of individuals who present with signs of having survived traumatic injuries and related pathologies. These individuals are from a late medieval cemetery in Żelewo, in the historical region of Pomerania in present-day northwestern Poland. The site is associated with the nearby town of Kołbacz, which is home to the oldest Cistercian monastery in Pomerania. This study aims to examine evidence of survival, healing, and mobility following trauma.
I discuss signs of trauma and pathologies evident in each individual's skeleton, including abnormalities in the bones, signs of atrophy (loss of bone mass), and entheseal changes (variations in muscle attachments). Furthermore, I examine these findings with respect to the implications for healing and movement. While conducting these analyses, I also consider the possibility of care through the lens of the conventional bioarcheology of care framework and the utilization of the Index of Care methodology. Although this consideration of care is important, it is crucial to consider additional narratives. I acknowledge the limitations of what can be seen in the skeletal remains with respect to what can be deemed a sign of care or not. This study illuminates what it may have looked like to survive past a traumatic injury in medieval Europe.
Citation Style
APA
Recommended Citation
Mulliner-Szyndler, Michael, "Skeletal markers: Interpreting trauma, healing, and survival through osteological remains from medieval Pomerania" (2026). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2609.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2609