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A high status burial from Ripon Cathedral, North Yorkshire, England: differential diagnosis of a chest deformity

Groves, S.; Roberts, C.A.; Johnstone, C.; Hall, R.; Dobney, K.

Authors

S. Groves

C. Johnstone

R. Hall

K. Dobney



Abstract

Excavations beneath the crossing at Ripon Cathedral in North Yorkshire recently revealed a burial radiocarbon dated to the late 15th century AD. The burial was that of a young adult female; the location of the grave suggests a person of relatively high status. The very well preserved skeleton revealed abnormal changes to the bones of the thoracic cavity including anterior bowing of the sternum, flattening of the spinous processes of thoracic vertebrae three to nine against the processes below each one, and changes to the ribs that suggested anterior displacement of the rib cage. The skeletal changes are described and differential diagnoses presented. Treatment to an underlying chest deformity, pectus carinatum, is thought to be the underlying cause of the skeletal changes; this study may lend direct insight into the concepts of body image in the Medieval period.

Citation

Groves, S., Roberts, C., Johnstone, C., Hall, R., & Dobney, K. (2003). A high status burial from Ripon Cathedral, North Yorkshire, England: differential diagnosis of a chest deformity. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 13(6), 358-368. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.696

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Nov 1, 2003
Deposit Date Jul 27, 2009
Journal International Journal of Osteoarchaeology
Print ISSN 1047-482X
Electronic ISSN 1099-1212
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 13
Issue 6
Pages 358-368
DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.696
Keywords Chest deformity, Treatment, High status, Late Medieval.

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