History of health and life of pre-hispanic Maya through their skeletal remains

Abstract

Health studies performed in pre-Hispanic osteological series show a close link between health, the natural physical environment and the degree of social complexity. From a standardized methodology, it is possible to know some aspects of past societies such as the structure by age and sex of the population, as well as the population density of the settlement. In the case of Terminal Classic Maya societies, we have obtained interesting results in making this same association that should be explained according to the degree of health of the individuals, their quality of life, their social organization and the natural physical environment. Some of these results show high frequencies in infectious diseases, which impacted infant mortality rates and life expectancies at birth. Nutritional deficiencies also show high figures, which correspond to a densely populated and urban areas living under a high-pressure demographic regime, which means high fertility and mortality rates.