Living conditions in the Early Middle Ages – the example of Altheim-Essenbach in South Bavaria

• Applicant: Dr. Maren Velte
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 555150076

The living conditions of people in Europe during the Early Middle Ages remain a subject of controversial debate. Both climatologists and historians often describe a catastrophic scenario in which the deterioration of climatic conditions from the middle of the 6th century ("Late Antique Litte Ice Age") is blamed for supply shortages, famines and the outbreak of the Justinian Plague, leading to a major social crisis. In contrast, archaeological research, which considers innovations in agriculture ("agricultural revolution") and population growth, describes a less negative, if not positive, picture of the situation. The results of previous studies of human remains from early medieval cemeteries, in which various stress-induced or pathological changes are traditionally used to investigate the living conditions of earlier populations, allow for interpretations in both directions. This discrepancy is mainly because only single "stress markers" have been considered, failing to account for the complexity of human health. Additionally, bio-archaeology has increasingly recognized in recent years that interpreting the frequencies of stress markers and pathologies within a skeletal collective in relation to the general population health is highly complex due to the osteological paradox. These inherent limitations can only be addressed by incorporating additional information such as demographic distribution, extent of migration, dietary patterns and genetic predispositions. This is where the planned research project comes in: By incorporating as much information as possible, the living conditions and the closely related diet of people in the Early Middle Ages in the region of present-day southern Bavaria will be illuminated, particularly in connection with the effects of the assumed climate changes. To this end, a multivariable analysis of various dental and osteological features, isotope data from bones and teeth as well as genetic data of 100 skeletons from the row cemetery ("Reihengräberfeld") Altheim-Essenbach will be carried out, allowing conclusions to be drawn about stress levels and diet. The selected burials date between the 5th and 7th centuries, which enables a targeted investigation of the postulated crisis. The aim of the research project is to answer the following questions: Did the assumed climate changes have a significant impact on the population dependent on agriculture? Have these changes led to supply shortages, favored infectious diseases and consequently to a deterioration of people's health? Have people adapted their lifestyles to the new circumstances?

• DFG Programme: Research Grants