Backbone of Europe: Health, Diet, Work and Violence over Two Millennia - 80

Using human skeletal remains, this volume traces health, workload and violence in the European population over the past 2,000 years.

Health was surprisingly good for people who lived during the early Medieval Period.

The Plague of Justinian of the sixth century was ultimately beneficial for health because the smaller population had relatively more resources that contributed to better living conditions.

Increasing population density and inequality in the following centuries imposed an unhealthy diet - poor in protein - on the European population.

With the onset of the Little Ice Age in the late Middle Ages, a further health decline ensued, which was not reversed until the 19th century.

While some aspects of health declined, other attributes improved.