Bioarcheology Research Reveals Gender Data on Life Expectancy in Medieval Times

Dr. Yaussy

A new study led by Samantha Yaussy, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Kathryn Marklein, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, has leveraged bioarchaeology techniques to uncover insights into health disparities between men and women in medieval London.

In modern times, women typically live longer than men, despite having more health issues. After examining data from over 1,600 skeletons from medieval cemeteries in London, Dr. Yaussy, Dr. Markelin, and their co-authors did not find evidence of this contemporary pattern, suggesting the longer life expectancy of women in today’s society is a more recent development.

Dr. Marklein

Based on modern research, the authors theorized they would find more signs of cumulative frailty on women skeletons as they incur more stress on their bodies over their longer lifespan. However, they found that the frailty of the examined skeletons was comparable across genders and that men and women of that time period lived to the same age.

The authors believe these findings provide evidence that the preferential cultural buffering of men and the marginalization of women in medieval London may have mitigated the biological advantages that contribute to modern women’s longer lifespans.