Stress indicators in past Mesopotamian populations from the Hamrin Basin of the middle Tigris

Abstract

Bioarchaeological studies of people in Mesopotamia are scarce compared with other regions. This study investigated the prevalences of cribra orbitalia, enamel hypoplasia, and porotic hyperostosis on human skeletal remains excavated from the Hamrin Basin in the middle Tigris River, spanning from ~4000 BC to the Islamic period. The prevalence of cribra orbitalia and enamel hypoplasia was high and remained around 70–80% until the first century. The prevalence of stress indicators decreased in the Islamic period. The hypothesis that the rapid cooling and aridification in West Asia around 2000 BC increased stress levels was not statistically supported in this study. It seems that Mesopotamians were exposed to generally higher stresses than the Egyptians in contemporary periods.