Evidence of childhood scurvy in a Middle Byzantine Greek population from Crete, Greece (11th-12th centuries A.D.)

Archaeological evidence of scurvy in Greece has previously included only a few cases. Recently, during the study of a Middle Byzantine (11th-12th centuries A.D.) Greek population from Crete, Greece, four non-adult skeletons were found to exhibit abnormal porosity and reactive new bone formation, mainly on the cranial and post-cranial bones, which vary in extent and severity. These lesions are similar to those reported in previous studies of juvenile scurvy, suggesting that most likely the individuals suffered from this condition at the time of death. Further, a biocultural approach is applied here in order to contextualize these findings, as well as to explore the reasons for the sporadic appearance of the disease. It is proposed that these cases are indicative of undernutrition and that the development of scurvy in this Middle Byzantine Greek population might be associated with weaning and the type/quality of solid foods introduced after cessation of breastfeeding. The reported cases are important because archaeological evidence of scurvy in this geographical area is relatively rare, and they contribute to the broader global understandings of the cultural variables that mediate the expression of skeletal manifestations of juvenile scurvy.