Life in Suleiman’s Army: Preliminary Investigations of Health in an Ottoman Cemetery Site

In recent years, analyses of human skeletal remains have significantly contributed to our understanding of the past. A cemetery collection of 160 skeletons from the 16th and 17th centuries excavated from the city center of Timişoara, Romania have provided a rare opportunity to study a brief, tumultuous time when the Ottoman Empire extended into Central Europe. The inhumations, representative of the Ottoman population that relocated into the fortified city center after Turkish expansion, provide insight into the composition and health of this military group. Preliminary research on more complete inhumations was conducted in the spring of 2015. Biological profiles indicate a larger percentage of males than females, unsurprising results for a garrison town. Preliminary pathological investigations highlight a wide range of pathological insults on the skeletal remains relating to trauma and disease, as well as non-specific indicators of stress. Future research will solidify conclusions but initial results indicate a stressful time for those responsible for the day-to-day operations of the empire’s borderlands. While it is rarely denied that colonization results in deleterious health effects for conquered populations, this study may indicate biological impacts on the conquerors as well.