Trauma and Violence in Medieval Poland: An Intersectional Analysis.

The concept of intersectionality was developed by Black feminist scholars to explore how multiple identities of an individual interact with and impact a variety of outcomes, both biological and social. Intersectional analysis of trauma has been demonstrated to be an effective method for bioarchaeologists to gain a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of violence in the past. The study presented here examines the patterns of trauma, including violent trauma, in an urbanizing medieval Polish population (tenth-thirteenth centuries) and employs intersectional analysis to explore the lived experiences of those who suffered violent injuries. A sample of 95 adult remains from three cemeteries located in the politically important medieval gród (i.e., garrisoned stronghold) of Poznań reveals a low overall trauma rate of 6.3% as well as a low rate of violent trauma (2.1%). Intersectional analysis of the two individuals with violent trauma, including one with perimortem injuries and one with antemortem injuries, suggests that neither was a soldier at the time of their death. Moreover, the combination of their age, sex, social status, and residence in an urban setting played a significant role in their resulting injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]