Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index


  • Record Number: 1990
  • Author(s)/Creator(s): Molleson , Theya.
  • Contributor(s):
  • Title: Can the Degree of Sexual Dimorphism Provide an Insight into the Position of Women in Past Populations?
  • Source: La Femme pendant le Moyen Âge et l'époque moderne. Actes des Sixiémes Journées Anthropologiques de Valbonne 9-10-11 juin 1992.  Edited by Luc BuchetDossier de Documentation Archéologique, 17.  CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Recherches Archéologiques) Éditions, 1994.  Pages 51 - 67.
  • Description:
  • Article Type: Essay
  • Subject (See Also): Archaeology Body Human Remains Sex Differences Stature, Human
  • Award Note:
  • Geographic Area: British Isles
  • Century: General
  • Primary Evidence:
  • Illustrations:
  • Table: Seven tables and two graphs. Table One Components and determinants of sexual dimorphism. Table Two Indications of environmental resources from variation in stature and degree of sexual dimorphism, with associated social structure. Table Three Variation in sexual dimorphism in selected British cemetery samples. Table Four Variation in age of marriage in females and males from Christ Church, Spitalfields (Pre 1750-1855). Table Five Variation in age of first birth for females and males from Christ Church, Spitalfields (Pre 1750-1855). Table Six Variation in family size for the sample from Christ Church, Spitalfields. Table Seven Average stature and degree of sexual dimorphism in British cemetery samples. Graph One Stature of female and male skeletons evacuated from Winchester Cathedral Green from the Saxon through the late medieval period. Females show no significant change but the men have a marked reduction in height in the later medieval period. Graph Two Relationship between average stature for females and males from British cemeteries along with the amount of sexual dimorphism.
  • Abstract: It has been noted that the degree of sexual dimorphism, as measured by the difference in stature between sexes, has varied throughout time in past populations sampled from British cemeteries. The extent to which this variation might reflect changes in the social conditions of women is examined.
  • Related Resources:
  • Author's Affiliation: British Museum
  • Conference Info: - , -
  • Year of Publication: 1994.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN/ISBN: 2271051576