Two methods will be tested for identifying family members within ancient cemeteries using inherited variation of the skeleton. The first method involves analysis of data on inherited variation in hand bone lengths to identify individuals who are very close genetic relatives (e.g. siblings, their parents, and grandparents). This method is an adaptation of a radiographic technique called metacarpophalangeal pattern profile analysis, which uses data on the lengths of the digital bones of the hand. Since human pattern profiles have been shown to exhibit high correlations between close genetic relatives, skeletons that show highly correlated pattern profiles can be assumed to have been close genetic relatives.
The second method for identifying family members involves collection of data on inherited structural anomalies of individual bones to identify genetic lineages that often span many generations. Examples of such anomalies include unusually short thumbs, congenitally fused vertebrae in the neck, and extra bones in the feet. Analysis of these structural variants will follow a method already developed for analysis of genetic kinship, except that inherited anomalies from throughout the skeleton will be used, rather than just anomalies of the skull and teeth. For each cemetery of interest, the frequency of 48 skeletal anomalies will be determined and compared to the frequencies of these same anomalies in a reference sample from the same time period and geographic region. If there is a statistically significant difference between the frequency of an anomaly in one of the cemeteries and in the reference sample, then the individuals sharing the anomaly in common within the cemetery have a high probability of being genetic relatives.
The subjects of this study will be approximately 1800 skeletons from medieval church cemeteries in Denmark. Familial relationships will be investigated among 800 skeletons from the Black Friar and Gray Friar cemeteries in Odense, which date from around AD 1250 to the mid- 1500s. These skeletons are curated at Odense University. Another 1000 skeletons from several other medieval cemeteries in Denmark will comprise the reference sample.
Identification of genetic relatives will allow anthropologists to better estimate the number of lineages belonging to the two parish churches. In addition, this information will permit anthropologists to address questions about the extent to which quality of life issues such as social status, burial treatment, childhood mortality rates, general health, and susceptibility to diseases were affected by membership in a particular family or lineage, and how this effect may have changed over time.
