Throughout human history, disabilities and impairments have been an inherent aspect of societies, deeply influenced by cultural contexts and by the diverse forms they manifest. Some of the physical and/or mental impairments leave skeletal traces detectable by palaeopathologists. This study presents notable cases of important disorders, such as disproportionate dwarfism, bilateral calcaneus varus (clubfoot) with evidence of crutch use and cerebral palsy. All these pathological individuals were buried in the Cistercian Abbey of the Dunes in Koksijde (Belgium), which was most active between the 12th and 15th centuries. Their grave locations are diverse, ranging from the cloister to the lay brother cemetery. There was no detected difference in their funerary treatment, except one “adapted” burial caused by a physical deformity resulting from cerebral palsy. Most of the identified pathologies are profoundly disabling, with many being congenital and detectable either at birth or during early childhood. Yet all cases presented in this study reached adulthood, with some even surviving into advanced age (over 60 years), suggesting that they received care and support from a young age. Possible health challenge encountered, as well as the nature of the assistance received will be discussed. The prevalence of disabilities within this monastic community raises questions about the social consequences of visible congenital anomalies. Were these individuals placed in a religious institution due to their disabilities, or did they choose monastic life for other reasons, as it might have offered opportunities to develop talents that did not rely on physical abilities? Interestingly, historical texts provide no specific mention of disabled individuals within the context of this abbey, making it challenging to determine whether they were fully integrated into the monastic community or were laypersons and/or benefactors.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2025
We describe Gekko shiva sp. nov. from limestone cave and hills in Khlong Hat District, Sa Kaeo Province, eastern Thailand, near the border with Cambodia. The new species, a member of the subgenus Gekko, differs from all currently recognized Gekko species by the following combination of morphological characters and pattern: maximal known snout-vent length of 131.9 mm, lack of contact between nostrils and rostral, 28 or 29 interorbital scales between supraciliaries, 80–86 scale rows around midbody, 18 dorsal tubercle rows at midbody, 35–37 ventral scale rows at midbody, 9–12 precloacal pores in males, one or two postcloacal tubercles on each side of the base of the tail, 13–15 subdigital lamellae on 1st toe and 18 or 19 on 4th toe, no Y-shaped mark on head, white spots on head, brown dorsal background with irregular bands of white spots on dorsum, yellow venter, and greenish golden iris.
Located in
Library
/
RBINS Staff Publications 2025
