Presented here are results of analyses of excavated skeletal material from the early modern period in Tartu, Estonia, for evidence of syphilis. Our understanding of the incidence of syphilis in Estonia, and the causes of its spread, are discussed. All of the skeletal samples that were positively identified for syphilis included evidence of bone lesions on the cranium. Percentages of remains with signs indicative of syphilis were found at a rate of 0.50%, which accords with a figure of 0.77% from Britain for the same period. Evidence presented suggests that syphilis was a problem not only in the metropolitan area of Tallinn, but also in the less populous cities of Estonia. It is concluded, given that the excavation sites represent different dates from the period, that syphilis was a significant health problem in early modern Tartu.
The period from the 16th to the 17th century is known for changes in material culture, especially in dining traditions, as different tableware appeared, replacing the dominant pottery of the medieval period. New types of technologically and functionally advanced vessels and dishes including Dutch and Italian tin-glazed earthenware, German stoneware, and a variety of slipwares were changing dining traditions across Europe. All this can be observed from the archaeological material uncovered in what is today Vilnius old town. Tableware from both western European and Ottoman manufacturers was found during archaeological excavations in Vilnius. Compared to the Middle Ages, the total number of imported wares increased significantly. Medieval tableware was very rare in Vilnius and available exclusively to individuals of high social classes but during the early modern period the situation changed. Imported pottery of the 16th and 17th centuries showed that inhabitants of the town were influenced by western dining traditions and usage of imported tableware in their everyday rituals had grown significantly. Focusing on this change traced from Vilnius old town archaeological material, the paper will examine whether imports
were available to the representatives of specific social classes or were widely known to the town’s community. Imported tableware as a marker of urban lifestyles suggests that town dwellers, especially noble families, monks and nuns used a variety of imported tableware. This fact represents that dining practices anchored into early modern Vilnius society and changed traditional dining practices.
Journal:Acta Historica Universitatis Klaipedensis
Volume 29 (2014): Mobility in the Eastern Baltics (15th–17th Centuries) = Mobilumas Rytų Baltijos regione (XV–XVII amžiai), pp. 75–97
Abstract
Mobility and journeys were an integral part of the life of intellectual elites, including the clergy, in the Early Modern Period. Taking to the road was often the outcome of the functions they performed: arrival at the destination was the main aim. In the case of pilgrimages, both the destination and the route were important. Itinerant clergy in search of sustenance became a disciplinary problem for their superiors. This article is based on records of journeys undertaken by canons and prelates of Vilnius Cathedral.