Untersuchungen zu den Gräberfeldern in Carnuntum

Volume 2 of the "Untersuchungen zu den Gräberfeldern in Carnuntum" presents the results of the anthropological research of grave fields dating from the 2nd to 4th century A.D. in the area of Petronell (Lower Austria). The Graves analyzed in this work came to light during a series of rescue excavations undertaken between 1984 and 1986 because of the construction of a by-pass road south of modern Petronell-Carnuntum. In terms of the quantity individuals discussed, the authors present one of the largest samples to date of the Roman population in the middle Danube region. Starting with a comprehensive description of the characteristics of each individual in the form of a detailed catalogue, they reconstruct certain aspects of life in ancient Carnuntum including a detailed palaeodemographic and palaeopathological analysis. Using multivariate statistics B. Schweder and E.-M. Winkler compare the relations of the Carnuntum-sample with other ancient populations of Central Europe. By comparison with other European skeleton series of the same period they argue that the inhabitants of Carnuntum form a typical sample of Roman Pannonia with regard to demographic and morphologic characteristics.