Caring for the dead, understanding the living: bioarchaeology of care in a 2nd–3rd century CE burial from Roman Malaca

Abstract

The discovery of a Roman burial dated to the 2nd–3rd centuries CE in the western necropolis of Malaca provides valuable insights into funerary practices and health in Roman Hispania. The burial, characterized by its well-arranged structure and diverse grave goods, is analyzed using an osteobiographical approach. Skeletal and funerary data reveal vertebral lesions indicative of a chronic condition, with possible infectious or degenerative origins. This study, employ an advanced methodological framework to explore, care practices, the impact of disease on quality of life, applied treatments, and their broader implications for health and social dynamics in Roman Málaga.