Archaeological evidence for Pott's disease on historical populations: Tomb 05 at the Roman Circus maqbara as an example of social solidarity (Toledo, Spain).

ABSTRACT: World societies can often be characterized by their attitude towards elderly and illness. It is well known that most cultures were concerned about those who were not able to produce and take care of themselves. This brings to the development of social processes that involve such individuals within the community, resulting in groups who stick together, and at last, ensuring the survival of the group. The contextualization of many of those social processes might be studied through Physical Anthropology and Paleopathology. This paper presents tomb 05 (T-05) as a new case of probable tuberculosis in Toledo from the medieval maqbara of the Roman Circus that provides new paleoanthropological data to understand the treatment given to sick people in a sparsely studied context.