Projects / Programmes
An anthropological study of the old slav population in northeastern slovenia, emphasizing the medieval necropolis središce by the drava river
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 6.03.02 |
Humanities |
Anthropology |
Social and cultural anthropology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| B460 |
Biomedical sciences |
Physical anthropology |
historical anthropology, Old Slavs, sex determination, age determination, paleodemography, craniometry, osteometry, lateral asimetry, paleopathology, northeastern Slovenia
Researchers (2)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
00890 |
PhD Marija Štefančič |
Anthropology |
Head |
1998 - 2000 |
213 |
| 2. |
00891 |
PhD Tatjana Tomazo-Ravnik |
Anthropology |
Researcher |
1998 - 2000 |
147 |
Abstract
Our research concentrated on morphological-typological analysis and reconstruction of northeastern Slovene Slav life in the early MiddleAges, its heart being the anthropological study of skeletons from the necropolis Središce by the Drava river.The necropolis, situated at the edge of the Pannonian Plain, reflects the complex relationships existing at the juncture of the Bjelobrdo and Koetlach Old Slav cultures. We foresee that a detailed anthropological analysis of this necropolis will yield significant results in the interpretation of the Old Slav period in Styria. We will include comparative studies with fully researched populations from Bled, Velika Moravska, lower Pannonia, and Dalmatia. In 1998 we performed a detailed anthropometric analysis of skeletons from the necropolis Središce by the Drava river which, together with the already performed paleodemographic analysis, should become the basis of an anthropological interpretation of the population. Separately, we performed an anthropometrical analysis of long bone lateral asymmetry in the 36 skeletons with preserved paired limb bones. We determined that the greatest asymmetry was found in the humerus, strong enough to enable us to determine right- or left-handedness. In 43 skeletons we determined the sex by analysis of the tarsi. At this necropolis the bones were very poorly preserved in some cases, making sex determination by the skull and pelvic characteristics impossible. Usually the tarsi are well preserved and their size indicates a significant sex difference. We used the greatest possible selection of talus and calcaneus measurements, and with the help of discrimination analysis calculated the coefficients and constants of the discriminating function. The method, developed for our own material, enables us to determine correctly the sex in all skeletons with a preserved tarsus, data of incalculable value for successful paleodemographic analysis. Paleopathological diagnoses were also made on skeletal signs of disease or injury, as the cause of death is often an indication of current life conditions.
