Is status everything? A comparison of non-specific stress indicators in high-status and low-status populations from post-medieval London

The aim of this thesis is to study the influence of status on the prevalence of non-specific stress in post-medieval London. This is researched by comparing the prevalence of two non-specific stress markers in and between two high-status populations (Chelsea Old Church and St. Bride’s Fleet Street) and two low-status populations (St. Bride’s Lower Churchyard and Cross Bones burial ground) from post-medieval London. The non-specific stress markers that were used in the comparisons were the prevalence of enamel hypoplasia and growth (through mean femur length). The high-status and low-status populations were compared on their own as well as together, combining Chelsea Old Church and St. Bride’s Fleet Street into one high-status population and St. Bride’s Lower Churchyard and Cross Bones burial ground into one low-status population. The four populations, as well as the aggregated populations, were divided into several age groups and the two sexes for (statistical) comparison. In the...Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to study the influence of status on the prevalence of non-specific stress in post-medieval London. This is researched by comparing the prevalence of two non-specific stress markers in and between two high-status populations (Chelsea Old Church and St. Bride’s Fleet Street) and two low-status populations (St. Bride’s Lower Churchyard and Cross Bones burial ground) from post-medieval London. The non-specific stress markers that were used in the comparisons were the prevalence of enamel hypoplasia and growth (through mean femur length). The high-status and low-status populations were compared on their own as well as together, combining Chelsea Old Church and St. Bride’s Fleet Street into one high-status population and St. Bride’s Lower Churchyard and Cross Bones burial ground into one low-status population. The four populations, as well as the aggregated populations, were divided into several age groups and the two sexes for (statistical) comparison. In the results it was found that over all, the high-status population of post-medieval London had less (severe) non-specific stress, but that when the populations were studied separately and divided into groups, the results became more nuanced. It was shown that the population from St. Bride’s Fleet Street experienced the least (severe) non-specific stress, the population from Cross Bones burial ground experienced the most (severe) non-specific stress and the populations from Chelsea Old Church and St. Bride’s Lower Churchyard experienced a similar amount (and severity) of stress.Show less

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Is status everything? A comparison of non-specific stress indicators in high-status and low-status populations from post-medieval London