MORTALITY STRUCTURE OF ADULT INDIVIDUALS IN POLAND IN THE FEUDAL PERIOD

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1 Variability and Evolution, 1997, Vol. 6: JERZY KOZAK Institute of Anthropology, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Poznań, Poland MORTALITY STRUCTURE OF ADULT INDIVIDUALS IN POLAND IN THE FEUDAL PERIOD KOZAK J.,1997. Mortality structure of adult individuals in Poland in the feudal period. Variability and Evolution, Vol. 6, 81 91, Figs. 6, Tab 1, Adam Mickiewicz University, Faculty of Biology, Poznań Abstract. On the basis of skeletal materials from Poland (9th 19th century) comprising 59 populations (5339 individuals) the changes of the mortality structure of adult individuals were assessed. The analysis was carried out using the frequencies of the dead in three age categories (adultus, maturus, senilis). The differences in the mortality structure between the individuals from rural and urban areas as well as the individuals probably coming from the higher strata of society were compared. Key words: mortality structure, skeletal populations, social stratification Introduction Fertility and mortality are two components of demographic processes. The results of anthropological studies on mortality changes are usually presented in several age categories reflecting the succeeding periods of the development of an organism (biological age infans, juvenis, adultus, maturus, and senilis) or they are compiled in death rate tables. Mortality changes can be studied from various points of view. Sex and time differences as well as spatial distribution seem to be the most important among them. The mortality structure of individuals is influenced by the changes of both the environment and the social structure. Studies concerning historical periods of

2 82 J. Kozak important changes of the biocultural system of man (e.g. neolithisation or feudalisation) are of special interest to physical anthropologists. During the mentioned periods considerable changes in the economic, settlement and social structures took place. The origin of towns initiating the process of urbanisation as well as the shift from the little differentiated tribal and family social structure towards the heterogenic, more changeable structure of the state system resulted in biological consequences. The biological condition and the dynamics of human groups underwent considerable changes. The aim of this study is to estimate the extent to which the changes in the settlement (urbanisation) and in the social structure in the feudal Poland influenced the shape of the mortality structure of adult individuals. Material and methods The analysis was based on 59 skeletal populations (5239 individuals) from Poland (9th 19th century). The data concerning the mortality in three age categories, namely adultus, maturus, senilis (separately for males and females) were taken into account. The age was estimated by the authors of the studies cited in this paper (Tab. 1). Such numerous and heterogeneous material had to be divided into a few chronologically different categories. Three following main groups were distinguished (the first group: up to the 12th century, the second one: 13th 15th century and finally, the third one: 16th 18th century) and additionally, two transitional categories grouping populations that could be included into two neighbouring main categories. Populations characterised by the chronology spanning more centuries (e.g. 12th to18th century) were included into the middle category (in this instance the second one). Populations of the chronology starting from the 9th century were included into the first category. The above mentioned division enabled the author to distinguish five chronological periods with the following mean values expressed in years: 1050, 1200, 1350, 1500, and Apart from the chronological category each population was characterised by a particular settlement pattern, namely village, town and city (in Table 1 and in Figures indicated as W, M, and M-1 respectively). This kind of distinction was made in order to consider the possible influence on the mortality structure of some factors connected with the origin and the development of towns. Among these factors are: the increase of the breeding area, migration or the differentiation of life styles (quality and quantity of food, pressure of physical work). While introducing the above mentioned categorisation the most difficult problem was to include the populations into the first chronological category (till the 12th century). There is no doubt that towns existed in Poland by the end of the 12th century. According to Hensel (1987)

3 Mortality structure of adult individuals Table 1 The list of the investigated skeletal populations with regard to their number, chronological and settlement category, author and the years of the publication of the source of the data concerning the mortality structure* N Site Century Chronological category Settlement category N total Males [%] Females [%] Author adultus maturus senilis adultus maturus senilis Bazar Nowy XI XII 1 W Wolański [1954] 2. Brzeg Głogowski X XI 1 W Piontek [1981] 3. Cedynia XII XIII 1/2 M Piontek, Mucha [1983] 4. Cedynia XIII XIV 2 M Piontek, Mucha [1983] 5. Cedynia XIV XVIII 2/3 M Malinowska-Łazarczyk, Budzyńska [1975] 6. Czaplinek XV XVIII 3 M Kaliszewska-Drozdowska [1967] 7. Czersk XII 1/2 M Belniak [1979] 8. Czersk XVII 3 M Miszkiewicz [1954] 9. Dziekanowice XI 1 W Henneberg, Puch [1989] 10. Gdańsk XVII XVIII 3 M Duda, Gładykowska-Rzeczycka [1992] 11. Giecz XI XII 1 M Rożnowski [1965] 12. Głogów XIII XIV 2 K Gronkiewicz [1981] 13. Głogów XII XIV 1/2 M Gronkiewicz [1981] 14. Głogów XIV XVI 2/3 M Piontek, Cieślik [1976] 15. Gniezno X/XI XVII 2 K Kaszycka [1987] 16. Groszowice X XI 1 W Miszkiewicz [1967] 17. Gródek n. Bugiem XIII XVII 2/3 M Belniak et al. [1961]

4 84 J. Kozak Table 1 cont Gruczno XI XII 1 W Florkowski [1993] 19. Gruczno XIII XIV 2 W Florkowski [1993] 20. Gubin XIII XIV 2 M Miszkiewicz [1973] 21. Jaksice XV XVII 2/3 W Piontek [1981] 22. Kołobrzeg XIV XVIII 2/3 K Wokroj [1973] 23. Końskie XI 1 W Dąmbski [1955] 24. Koszalin XIV XVII 2/3 M Wokroj [1972] 25. Kraków XI XIII 1/2 W Kaczanowski [1977] 26. Kraków XV XVIII 3 M Kaczanowski [1965] 27. Kraków XVI XVIII 3 K Miaśkiewicz [1965] 28. Kruszwica XI 1 M Woszczyk [1967] 29. Kruszwica X XII 1 M Woszczyk [1967] 30. Kruszwica XII XVI 2 K Woszczyk [1967] 31. Kruszwica XII XVIII 2/3 K Woszczyk [1967] 32. Ląd XI XIII 1/2 M Malinowski [1986] 33. Ląd XII XIII 1/2 M Malinowski [1986] 34. Lubiń XV XVIII 2/3 K Bibrowicz, Jóźwiak [1981] 35. Łowyń XVII XVIII 3 W Gibowski [1966] 36. Milicz XII XIII 1/2 M Miszkiewicz, Gronkiewicz [1986] 37. Niemcza X 1 M Lorkiewicz [1989] 38. Niemcza XI XII 1 M Szwedzińska [1976] 39. Opole XIII XIV 2 M Miszkiewicz [1968] 40. Ostrów Lednicki X XIV 1/2 W Wokroj [1953]

5 Mortality structure of adult individuals Table 1 cont. 41. Pawłów XV XVI 2/3 W Miszkiewicz [1968] 42. Posada Rybotycka XVII XVIII 3 W Piontek, Malinowski [1976] 43. Poznań XV XVIII 3 M Hałka [1935] 44. Przemyśl XI XV 1/2 K Malinowski [1968] 45. Radom XI XII 1 M Rosiński [1950/51] 46. Samborzec XII 1/2 W Sarama [1956] 47. Słaboszewo XIV XVII 2/3 W Piontek [1981] 48. Suraż XII XIV 1/2 W Iwanek [1992] 49. Tomice IX XII 1 W Miszkiewicz [1973] 50. Trzemeszno XV XVII 2/3 K Modrzewska [1956] Wlkp. 51. Warszawa XIII XVI 2 K Szukiewicz, Marynowski [1961] 52. Warszawa XVI XVIII 3 M Wierciński [1965] 53. Warszawa XVII 3 M Miszkiewicz [1954] 54. Wolin IX XII 1 M Piontek [1982] 55. Wrocław XIII XV 2 M Kwiatkowska [1983] 56. Wrocław XV XVI 2/3 M Krupiński [1983] 57. Wrocław XVI XVII 3 M Gralla, Krupiński [1966] 58. Wrocław XV XVIII 3 K Miszkiewicz [1975] 59. Żary XIII XVII 2/3 M Miszkiewicz [1975] * the author possesses the complete bibliography

6 86 J. Kozak towns in Poland originated as early as in the 10th century and the only difference between them and the later mediaeval towns was the absence of distinct legislation and the developed form of trade guilds. Bogucka and Samsonowicz (1986) claim that the moment of the origin of towns should be dated back even to the 8th century. They also distinguish three following periods of towns development: (1) magnates and tribal towns (from the 8th to the first half of the 10th century), (2) state towns (second half of the 10th to 11th century), (3) market and trade towns taking part in the exchange of goods. On the basis of the archaeological artefacts as well as the iconographic data the above mentioned authors include towns such as Poznań, Gniezno, Kraków, Giecz and Lednica into the Early Piast monarchy. Hensel (1987) mentions also Giecz and Lednica and additionally, Kruszwica, Wolin, Przemyśl, Głogów and Wiślica as the most important towns in the 11th and 12th centuries. The data included in the monograph Polish towns in the millennium (1965) was used in relation to the whole material from the feudal period. The distinguishing of the three settlement categories enabled the description and the analysis of the collected skeletal material regarding the potential influence of the settlement structure. Study of the differentiation that may have resulted from the social differentiation was possible after separating the additional category that groups the individuals coming probably from the higher social strata. Their skeletal remains were found inside church and monastery crypts and also on the burial grounds localised next to cathedrals, collegiate churches and castles (in Table 1 marked with K). The isolation of this category was based on the fact that there had been a common practice of choosing a burial place according to the social position. The most respectable persons were buried inside the churches or very close to them, others on the periphery of the necropolis. Social stratification may be also inferred from the specific burial goods, although this archaeological context gradually becomes rarer and scantier together with the advancing Chrystianization. The proceeding social differentiation was reflected in the funeral liturgy. Starting from the 14th century at least three kinds of funerals can be distinguished (Labudda SVD 1983): solemn, common (parish) and extraordinary (concerning a child or a woman in puerperium). Results and the analysis Figures 1 and 2 represent the changes of the mortality structure for both sexes over the investigated period. The higher dynamics of changes can be observed in females than in males. Sex differences are statistically significant for each of the three categories (Smirnov-Kolgomorov test). This pattern of changes for females is evident especially in the adultus and maturus age categories and may reflect the improvement of living conditions. This finding was confirmed by the variance ana-

7 Mortality structure of adult individuals Fig. 1. Changes in the mortality structure of adult individuals in feudal period males Fig. 2. Changes in the mortality structure of adult individuals in feudal period females

8 88 J. Kozak Fig. 3. The differentiation of the mortality structure of adult individuals between the settlement category and the sample of individuals from higher social strata males Fig. 4. The differentiation of the mortality structure of adult individuals between the settlement category and the sample of individuals from higher social strata females

9 Mortality structure of adult individuals Fig. 5. The differentiation of the mortality of the individuals in the feudal period in the adultus age category males Fig. 6. The differentiation of the mortality of the individuals in the feudal period in the adultus age category females

10 90 J. Kozak lysis, although the changes are statistically significant only for females in the adultus age category (p = 0.01). Figures 3 and 4 represent the differentiation of the mortality structure of the dead between the three distinguished settlement categories (village, town, city) and the additional category grouping individuals coming probably from the higher strata of society. This differentiation is characterised by the gradual increase of the frequency of the dead in the maturus and senilis age category, especially for the socially privileged individuals. Although these changes are not statistically significant for both sexes (frequency comparison test, Góralski 1987: 177), they are more tangible in females. Figures 5 and 6 represent the temporal differentiation of the frequencies of the dead in the adultus age category with regard to the settlement categories and also the individuals of probably higher social status. The last group is characterised by the lowest mortality rate, while among the settlement categories the greatest differentiation over the time can be seen in city populations. Rural and town populations (especially male samples) are much more stable in the analysed variable. Discussion The results obtained confirm the suggestions of other authors (e.g. Piontek 1979) that it was the decrease in the frequency of the dead in the adultus age category that contributed mainly to the changes in the mortality structure of adult individuals. The rate of these changes in other age categories is considerably low. The present analysis only partially confirmed the opinions of some historians (e.g. Kula 1983) as for the little differences with regard to the life span between the social strata in the investigated period. However, this kind of differentiation based on the analysis of mortality in the Piast dynasty was claimed by Jankowski (1990). The divergence of the mortality of the individuals differing in social status were noted also by Wiercińska (1980) in the Wiślica skeletal materials. Kuchowicz (1972) is another author who writes about the social stratification with regard to morbidity and mortality from the 16th to 18th century. Conclusions 1. In the feudal period in Poland slow changes in the mortality structure of adult individuals can be seen. 2. The most important trends involve a gradual decrease in the frequency of the dead in the adultus age category.

11 Mortality structure of adult individuals The rate of the changes in the mortality structure was faster in women than in men, and in town and city populations than in rural ones. 4. The mortality structure of the individuals probably coming from the higher strata of society is characterised by the highest frequency of the dead in the senilis age category. References Bogucka M., Samsonowicz H Dzieje miast i mieszczaństwa w Polsce przedrozbiorowej. Ossolineum, Wrocław Warszawa Kraków Gdańsk Łódź. Góralski A Metody opisu i wnioskowania statystycznego w psychologii i pedagogice. PWN, Warszawa. Hensel W Słowiańszczyzna wczesnośredniowieczna. PWN, Warszawa. Jankowski J Epidemiologia historyczna polskiego średniowiecza. Kraków. Kuchowicz Z Z badań nad stanem biologicznym społeczeństwa polskiego od schyłku XVI do końca XVIII wieku. Łódzkie Towarzystwo Naukowe, 74. Łódź. Kula W Problemy i metody historii gospodarczej. PWN, Warszawa. Labudda A. SVD Liturgia pogrzebu w Polsce do wydania rytuału piotrkowskiego (1631). Akademia Teologii Katolickiej. Warszawa. Miasta polskie w Tysia cleciu Ossolineum, Wrocław. Piontek J Procesy mikroewolucyjne w europejskich populacjach ludzkich. Seria Antropologia 6, UAM, Poznań. Wiercińska A Zmienność cech typów budowy ciała w ciągu ostatniego tysiąclecia na podstawie materiału szkieletowego w Wiślicy. Materiały i Prace Antropologiczne, 98: