Skeletal and dental pathology supplies extensive information about the past lives of a population, unveiling details about lifestyle, occupation, health, and disease. Many studies have been conducted to investigate health and disease within ancient populations, although we know truly little about the health and disease of medieval Lincoln (13th-16th century). The study set out to investigate metabolic diseases, including cribra orbitalia, cranial porotic hyperostosis, and dental pathology. Information collected from this study allows future anthropologists to understand the aetiology of diseases from the past. Two site locations within Lincoln were employed, Monks Road and St Catherines. Twenty-eight skeletal remains between the two sites were examined, with a grade assigned for skeletal pathology (CO and CPH), ranging from 0 (no lesions present) to 4 (significant lesions). Dental pathology was analysed using a presence or absence system when one or more dental diseases were found, this included caries, calculus, peri-apical abscess, periodontal disease, and enamel hypoplasia. Overall, St Catherines skeletal remains highlighted 100% of individuals displayed some element of dental disease, with 9.5% of the individuals’ showing signs of CO and CPH. Cranial porotic hyperostosis within Monks Road, affected the greatest number of individuals (75%), with CO affecting 14.3%. Dental pathology was shown in 71.4% of the individuals analysed. The data was statistically analysed, and there was no statistical significance between dental pathology and site location was shown, or CO and site location. Although the data did propose a statistical significance between site location and CPH. Suggesting dental pathologies are a great issue within medieval Lincoln. The results collected from skeletal and dental pathology can be used as an indicator of general health from ancient populations, and further contribute to studies regarding medieval lifestyle.
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