ABSTRACT
Determination of health from skeletal evidence is fraught with difficulties, as many disorders that involve soft tissue do not present on bone. Most pathological changes to the skeleton reflect chronic ailments. Conversely, acute disorders, apart from trauma, are not likely to leave any trace on the skeleton. Further, bone can only respond to insult in a very limited number of ways; it can be lost or resorbed, new bone can be deposited or a combination of the two can occur. As a result, a number of diseases leave a similar appearance on the skeleton. It is preferable to base diagnoses on an examination of the entire skeleton as some pathology can be distinguished by the pattern of changes that can be observed on different bones.1 The disarticulated nature of the Pompeian sample limited the study to disorders that could be diagnosed with confidence from gross inspection of a single bone, like healed trauma. In addition, the lack of access to x-ray facilities and destructive techniques, like sampling for histological analysis, constrained the kinds of questions that could be asked of the evidence. While the Pompeian skeletal record only provides a very limited view, all
signs of pathology reveal clues about the general health of the sample of victims. The presence of certain pathology and other indicators, like stature, act as health markers and assist in constructing a picture, albeit a rather indistinct one, of the general well-being of individuals and the sample as a whole. Apart from elucidating oral health and diet, dental data can provide some indication of underlying health problems as bacteria associated with dental and other pathology of the oral cavity have been implicated in some soft-tissue disease, like heart-valve problems. Stature is, in part, a reflection of health and nutrition during the growing years. Similarly, bone alterations, such as flattening of the proximal shaft of the tibia and femur, have been interpreted as indicators of stress during the period of skeletal development. Healed injuries, infections and other diseases yield information about the status of the immune system, while age-related disorders are a valuable gauge of health, as they do not manifest until an individual has achieved a certain age. The main issues to be considered were whether there was any skewing
towards individuals with signs of infirmity in the Pompeian sample and if
the observed pathology was likely to have impeded escape from the eruption. Another issue that was considered was whether it was possible to detect any evidence of surgical or dental intervention. Comparisons could then be made with the bones that have been excavated from Herculaneum. The Herculaneum material should provide more information as complete skeletons were available for investigation, which not only provided more reliable diagnostic opportunities, but also increased the range of pathology that could be studied. In addition, researchers in Herculaneum have had access to radiography and funding to employ various destructive techniques to facilitate diagnosis. The skeletal record has also been invoked as a valuable guide to profes-
sional activities and other aspects of life that can be reflected in changes to bones and teeth as a result of habitual activity. Brief consideration is given to the actual potential of the Pompeian and Herculaneum skeletal record to indicate ancient lifestyles.
