Exploring the social construction of disability: An application of the bioarchaeology of personhood model to a pathological skeleton from ancient Bahrain

Considering that paleopathology is the study of ancient disease, the social correlates of disabling conditions in the past have been undertheorized by bioarchaeologists and paleopathologists. I offer the Bioarchaeology of Personhood as a model that, when paired with traditional analytical techniques, can enhance bioarchaeologists’ ability both to explore the social construction of disability and to engage with an interested public. This model is based upon five tenets: (1) modern Western constructs of identity and individuality are not universal; (2) personhood is comprised of many facets, which are entangled with one another and are prioritized situationally; (3) a longitudinal “life course” paradigm is well-suited to the bioarchaeological investigation of personhood; (4) personhood can extend beyond the biological lifespan; (5) bioarchaeologists should be open to alternative modes of interpretation and outreach. Its strengths include the use of multiple lines of interdisciplinary evidence, accessibility to diverse academic and public audiences, effectiveness as a pedagogical tool, and articulation with other theoretical frameworks. The utility of the Bioarchaeology of Personhood model is demonstrated with a case study from ancient Bahrain, in which the embodied life course of a young woman with disabilities is reconstructed via fictive narrative.