Population development and burial practices in the Hungarian Middle Ages: paleodemographic insights into the adoption of Christianity
Turtóczki, József; Szathmáry, László
Anthropologischer Anzeiger Volume 82 No. 4 (2025), p. 435 - 442
publié: Nov 28, 2025
publication en ligne: Sep 19, 2025
manuscrit accepté: Jul 23, 2025
révision final du manuscrit reçu: Jul 20, 2025
révision du manuscrit demandée: Jul 15, 2025
manuscrit reçu: Apr 27, 2025
ArtNo. ESP140008204007, Prix: 29.00 €
Abstract
This study examines population development and changing mortuary practices in the Carpathian Basin between the 7th and 13th centuries CE, focusing on the demographic and symbolic implications of subadult burial patterns. Life expectancy at birth (ex⁰), defined here as an archaeological demographic proxy rather than a direct indicator of biological lifespan, was calculated or reconstructed for 23 medieval cemeteries (N = 3,602 individuals), based on osteologically estimated age-at-death data. Using hierarchical cluster analysis (UPGMA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and subadult representation (ages 0–14 years), we identified two major temporal clusters: one comprising 7th–10th century sites and another spanning the 11th–13th centuries. A significant decrease in ex⁰ values in the later cluster (mean = 28.6 years) compared to the earlier one (mean = 33.2 years), coupled with a higher proportion of child burials (36.2% vs. 25.0%), suggests that Christianization led to increased mortuary inclusion of children. The LDA model confirmed that ex⁰ values moderately distinguished between archaeological periods (56.5% classification accuracy). These patterns reflect not only biological mortality but also cultural shifts in the perceived personhood and spiritual status of children, as Christian norms redefined the moral community of the dead. Our results demonstrate that paleodemographic indicators such as life expectancy can provide insight into broader ideological transformations in medieval Central Europe.
Mots-clefs
paleodemography • Medieval Hungary • christianization • life expectancy at birth • subadult burials • mortuary practices