: Paleopathological pattern of a Plague cemetery dating from the XVIIth century (Puy-Saint-Pierre, Hautes-Alpes, France)

www.didac.ehu.es/antropoBelonging to the Puy-Saint-Pierre village, Larriey plague cemetery had been excavated during summer 2002. Located at the eastern side of the "Mont Prorel" beetling Briançon, this funerary area (historically identified by a wooden cross), delivered 34 individuals (within 17 immature skeletons). Anthropological examination showed shared parameters with plague grave (corpse's management, paleodemographic data ...). However, our study focused bone lesions, health status and paleopathological pattern of Larriey plague cemetery which is probably related to an "infirmerie de Peste". Despite a medium state of preservation, several paleopathological conditions had been gathered and 80% of the sample is involved. Degenerative joint disease is the most frequent alterations but congenital anomalies and stress markers are also present. The study of this cemetery improved our knowledge of surrounding Briançon population's health status