This program, which addresses questions of paleopathology and paleoepidemiology, deals with the health status of populations in the past and as such represents an important federating area for the team. In particular, it addresses the estimation of the impact of infections (visible or invisible on the bone) on the general health of immatures, in collaboration with colleagues from the GENGLOBE team (Hommes-Microbes project). This component on immatures, started in 2021, will run until 2025.
Still poorly informed by archaeology and anthropology on a regional scale, leprosy will be studied within the framework of a PCR (ADES and SRA SUD funding). This project foresees an annual report, as well as a colloquium and a synthesis publication by 2024. All identified pathological cases will be published in specialized journals. In addition, the study of historical and iconographic secondary sources of the paleopathology of leprosy will be addressed in an Amorce project of the Arkaia Institute (launch September 2023).
On the same principle, work on brucellosis in Corsica and the Mediterranean will be conducted within the framework of a second PCR (ADES and SRA Corse funding). This project also foresees an annual report, and a synthesis publication following a colloquium is planned for 2025.
In addition, work on the identification of new estimators of health status (bone and dental) will be launched in 2023 via a Master 2 project. In collaboration with the team's network of researchers, we will work on samples from several regions of France (PACA, Burgundy and Ile de France). This theme will continue to develop throughout the contract following this preliminary work.
This paleopathology program also includes the holding of meetings of a think tank on "paleopathology in a preventive context" that will bring together anthropologists, prescribing agents, and various archaeological specialists. The minutes of these meetings will be published and distributed by 2024.
