Jordan during the late roman early byzantine period : a bioarchaeological study

Abstract EN

This article provides additional new information on the people who lived during the Late Roman / Early Byzantine Period in various parts of Jordan such as mortuary practices, mortality rates and general health conditions.

The results show that the numbers of males were more than the number of females in most of the groups examined The archaeological sites examined in this article show that there were different burial patterns that include individual tombs, chamber tombs and mixed tombs.

The reason(s) remain unknown, but the authors believe that cultural habits (religion and social status in particular) may have been the main reason (s) as has been noted in the ^single graves of the southern cemetery of Wadi Faynan with the sign of the cross on the stone over the head as well as orientation of the head toward Jerusalem.

Regarding mortality rates, there were also some differences especially among infant and young children.

This may have been probably due to cases of malnutrition and childhood diseases for which there was no treatments known of at that time in these sites.

Except for some evidence of fractures and osteoarthritic lipping.

The recovered skeletal remains seem to have no health problems and lack any evidence of any severe diseases such as rackets, anemia, syphilis, tuberculosis and leprosy that leave their marks on the bones.