A contribution to the study of archery on the basis of activity-induced stress markers on the skeleton

Abstract

During the examination of skeletal remains from historical periods, anthropologists often come across, among others, findings from soldiers’ graves as well. Aside from researches whose goal is to provide an interpretation of everyday life and habits of soldiers, their health status, examining the presence of ante-mortem and peri-mortem injuries which were not caused by accidents, but rather by deliberate violence (injuries caused by arms or tools, injuries as consequences of punishments, caused by fighting with “bare hands”, i.e. in direct frontal fights, etc.), and the level of medical care provided, the greatest challenge for the researchers is certainly the solving of problems regarding activity-induced stress markers linked to carrying military equipment, usage of specific types of arms or tools, riding, etc., while the deceased were in active military service. While studying soldiers’ graves, our attention was especially drawn by graves of archers from several sites in Serbia: Timacum Minus, Singidunum, Romuliana, Banjska Monastery and Resava (Manasija) Monastery. Aside from examining their health status and pathological changes, special attention was dedicated to deformities, anomalies and entheseal changes that occur on the skeletons as a result of physical stress.