Women from Tell Arbid
Women from Tell Arbid

Author(s): Arkadiusz Sołtysiak
Subject(s): Archaeology, Ancient World
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: gender studies; Bronze Age; Syria; diet; health status; bioarchaeology
Summary/Abstract: Some evidence for social distinction of a group of women has beenobserved in the Middle Bronze Age cemetery at Tell Arbid. First, onlyfemale skeletons have been found in primary burials, while both maleand female remains were buried in multiple commingled burials. Infemales from primary burials, the frequency of dental caries wassignificantly higher, with a similar frequency of stress markers. Alsothe average δ15N value in females was higher than in males. All theseobservations may suggest that a specific group of women developeda peculiar subsistence strategy, maybe based on intensive horticulture,or a specific pattern of exogamy was present in a local society withquite a large and homogenous group of women migrating toTell Arbid from the south.

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