Abstract
The aim of the work is a paleopathological study of skeletal remains from the 9th century discovered in 1961 at the Pannonian Avar burial ground of Terehegy-Márfa in today's Hungary and deposited by the Jannus Pannonius Museum (JPM) in Pécs. At the Terehegy-Márfa, Pannonian Avar's burial site, a collection of 10 individuals was paleopathologically examined: 3 males (M); 2 females (F); 3 children (CH); 2 unidentified individual (N).
No injuries were found in this collection. Workload was found in 2 instances out of 10 (20%) with maximum strain of the skeletons on the spine spondylolysis (M aged 20-29 in grave 2 and F, aged 20-30, in grave 5).
Congenital anomalies occurred in the form of ossa suturaria, dental anomalies and assymetry of mandibular condyles. Anaemia in the form of cribra orbitalia was discovered in 4 cases out of 10 individuals (40%) in graves 1,2,5 and 8 and in all the instances it was of type 2.
Scurvy, vitamin C deficiency, was recognized in 4 cases out of 10 (40%) in graves 2,4,6,7, through cribra formations on the palate and the sphenoid bone of the skull. Dental disabilities occurred in 5 cases out of 10 (50%), usually it was tooth loss in life due to periodontitis.
Infections occurred in 4 cases out of 10 (40%), in the form of meningitis (grave no.1, M? and grave no 8, CH infans I(to 7 years), periostitis and tooth abscess. In terms of pathology, congenital anomalies and dental diseases prevailed (50%) in the collection followed by anemia, scurvy and nonspecific infections.
An exceptional find in terms of social relations and ethnology was placement of a cow bell, probably used as a rattle, with the child (infans I) in grave no. 4.