Life, health, and death in the steppe: a bioarchaeological study of Bronze Age and Iron Age populations of the Volga - Don region, Russia

The results suggest that despite changes in pastoral mobility and sedentary lifestyles, there was no major change in the diet of the Bronze and Iron Age populations, and the different groups were generally equally susceptible to osteoarthritis and injuries of the appendicular skeleton. People from different cultures seem, however, to have been affected in different ways. The Iron Age populations displayed a greater diversity of injuries of the appendicular skeleton and were more affected by injuries of the lower limbs compared to those of the Bronze Age.

Evidence of weapon-related skull trauma and facial injuries indicates that Early and Middle Bronze Age males were involved in violent events. The presence of weapons in Iron Age burials and the occurrence of blade-related trauma as well as facial injuries in Iron Age individuals of different age categories suggest that martial activities may have impacted both juveniles and adults. In addition, the overall health appears to have worsened during the Iron Age since the levels of cribra orbitalia, periosteal new bone formation, and porotic hyperostosis generally increased.

The Iron Age people were also affected by a greater diversity of diseases in comparison with the Bronze Age, including metabolic and neoplastic conditions, osteomyelitis, and respiratory infections. Furthermore, an archaeothanatological study of 91 burials showed notable differences between the funerary practices of the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age communities, and also provided new insights to the understanding of the social meaning of kurgans.