Palaeopathography is a unique opportunity for palaeopathology, since it allows the investigation of symptoms and signs of diseases, vital for medicine, yet unavailable when only studying ancient bones or mummies. This is especially viable with famous historical figures about whom plenty of information of all sorts has been preserved, which cannot be said of the ordinary men and women of old, neglected by history. Paleopathography should, nonetheless, be used reasonably, favoring a descriptive and cautious approach, which complements – but does not substitute for – hard biological evidence. We don’t want to “biologize” history.
The biggest challenge and goal in the future will be to compile an epidemiology of ancient diseases and their evolution throughout history …
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