The Influence of Regional Landscapes on Early Medieval Health (c.400–1200 A.D.): Evidence from Irish Human Skeletal Remains

ABSTRACT This paper reports on a bioarchaeological study of regional health patterns in early medieval Ireland (c.400–1200 A.D.). While many regional studies have demonstrated the influence the surrounding environment can have on population health, these studies have focused on large geographical areas composed of distinct environmental landscapes. This paper demonstrates the importance of smaller regional studies in our interpretation of the historical past. Its analysis of human skeletal remains from three regions in Ireland illustrates that even the more subtle differences observed in the physical, cultural and political landscapes can and did affect the general health of populations. In particular, the landscape of early medieval Ireland appears to have had a strong climatic north and south divide in the health status of the inhabitants, with the most northerly region manifesting higher rates of stress when compared to their southern counterparts.