An Early Iron Age cemetery in ancient Pydna, Pieria: what do the bones tell us?1

Recent work on the association between anthropological and archaeological interpretations has been of great value in the study of prehistoric social organisation. Health and dietary differences are an important aspect of the relationship between population and its environment. The present work investigates some forty skeletal remains from a partially excavated Early Iron Age (1100–700 BC) cemetery in northern Greece and attempts to trace aspects of the health status of the cemetery population concerned. Individuals of all ages and sexes have been recorded. Examination reveals a remarkable prevalence of dental disease, a few cases of cribra orbitalia (possibly related to some postcranial infectious manifestations), one typical case of osteoporosis, and a few arthritic spinal changes. The rarity of prehistoric skeletal material in northern Greece, as well as the noticeable lack of anthropological studies in the area, make the research significant for further interpretations considering issues of social structure and reconstruction of past human populations.