Linear and appositional growth as indicators of social change and environmental stress in the Medieval Era in the Algarve, Portugal

Growth is a sensitive indicator of children's cumulative environment and can be used as a proxy for the stress experienced by their whole population. Archaeological data and historical research suggest that the Medieval Islamic Period environment was more favourable for growth than the post-Islamic Christian Period, because of their agricultural prosperity, medical knowledge, and hygienic practices. The growth of children recovered from archaeological sites dating from Medieval Islamic and Christian Period in the Algarve were compared to determine whether the social and physical environmental changes due to the transition between the periods impacted the health of their populations. Linear and appositional bone growth deficits were found among children in all samples. Overall, Islamic Period children had slightly greater growth deficits than Christian Period children. This finding suggests that the Medieval Islamic Period was not more favourable for growth than the Medieval Christian Period in the Algarve.