Anthropological analysis of Kyzikos human skeletons

Abstract

Excavation studies in Kyzikos (Balıkesir / Erdek) have been carried out in 2 different cemetery areas. These are: The West necropolis area (A.D. 2. century) and the Hadrian Temple (Medieval). The skeletal remains in this study (2007 excavation season) belong to 3 different grave groups: Sarcophogus (A.D. 2. century), chamber grave (A.D. 2. century) and tile graves (Medieval). Skeletal remains belonging to 21 individuals were identified from 2 cemetery areas in Kyzikos. From sarcophogus; 4 females (% 33,33) and 8 males (% 66,67), in all 12 individuals, from chamber grave; 1 female (% 20), 3 males (% 60) and 1 adult whose sexes can not be determined (% 20), in all 5 individuals and from tile graves; 1 female (% 25), 1 male (% 25), 1 baby (% 25) and 1 adult whose sexes can not be determined (% 25), in all 4 individuals were identified.
Adults from Kyzikos are generally in middle aged groups. Except the tile graves, there weren’t any baby and children skeletal remains in other graves. General morphology of the skulls indicates mesocranial character in sarcophogus and chamber graves. General height averages of the individuals from Kyzikos are 162,35 (n: 7) in sarcophogus, 161,32 (n: 1) in chamber grave and 158,29 (n: 2) in tile graves. Skull and body pathologies caused by diseases are not very numerous among the people from the Kyzikos.