Source/Archive record SCH9095 - Broken Bones: Trauma Analysis on a Medieval Population from Poulton, Cheshire

Fractures are a frequent type of trauma found on the human skeleton, and this is as true for archaeological populations as it is for modern populations. The Poulton Collection derives from a medieval chapel at Poulton, Cheshire, United Kingdom. Based on historical sources and the current landscape, this rural community engaged in farming as their main occupation. Their farming consisted of many distinct daily activities. Crops and animals were raised, fields ploughed, cows milked, and crops reaped. These tasks were important for survival in the Middle Ages and undoubtedly contributed to the type and number of fractures found. The remains of 726 adults and subadults (prepubescent children) were examined for fractures. Fracture types and patterns were quantified, including severity and location within the skeleton. The association of fracture types and their prevalence were analyzed relative to sex and age at death.