The sailors’ bones were analysed with Raman spectroscopy, a pioneering, non-destructive laser technology, to identify evidence of bone disease. The application of Raman spectroscopy to the study of bone diseases in historical populations was novel and the work has been published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.
Tibia bones were obtained from The Mary Rose Trust, bones that appeared anatomically healthy and bones that were abnormal in shape. The deformations in the abnormal bones were suspected to be due to a metabolic bone disease such as rickets (the poor diet of the average person in the 1500s would have increased the prevalence of rickets). The results of the Raman study confirmed that the abnormally shaped bones did in fact have chemical abnormalities, which could potentially signify the presence of rickets.
Story: NHS | Photo: Wikimedia Commons
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