In these cases, prone position is interpreted as a sign of humility, while similar evidences from late and post-medieval times are seen as an expression of deviancy. We found a significant correlation between burial location and dating, due to a higher frequency of high medieval males in favored locations. Multivariate patterns appear to reflect diachronic changes in normative burial practices. In terms of grave features, the majority of churchyard burials do not differ from regular graves. Prone burials occur in funerary and non-funerary contexts, with a predominance of single churchyard burials, followed by favored and exterior location and settlements. We applied descriptive statistics accompanied by multiple correspondence analysis in order to highlight possible multivariate patterns in the dataset. 95 prone burials from 60 archaeological sites were analyzed regarding geographical distribution, dating, burial features, body position, age-at-death and sex. ![]() By compiling evidence from Germany, Switzerland and Austria, this study investigates how these findings fit into the scope of medieval funerary practices. So far, a comprehensive analysis of prone burials is lacking for Central Europe. Despite their worldwide distribution, the meaning of this burial practice is still a matter of debate. Prone burials are among the most distinctive deviant burials during the Middle Ages and early modern period. See the online edition for a color version of this image. Image generated using 3D4Medical Complete Anatomy software. Orientation is shown in the upper right corner (S 5 superior, I 5 inferior, L 5 left, R 5 right). Regardless of where the ribs were cut near the midline, the ribs would have to be fractured again probably near the midaxillary line so that they could be spread laterally without deforming the thorax anteriorly. Though this would not have been possible, it would have allowed for greater access to the lungs and enabled structuring of more substantial "wings." To spread the ribs laterally, their attachments to the diaphragm inferiorly would have to be severed. ![]() The right side illustrates the opening in the thoracic wall if it were possible to detach the ribs directly from the thoracic vertebrae. The lungs would have completely collapsed when the thorax was opened and would have been situated in a very tight mass near the mediastinum. It is important to note, however, that this would be the most likely fracture point of the ribs when using blunt-force trauma on the posterior thoracic wall. The left side illustrates how fracturing the ribs near the angles would make it difficult to mobilize the lungs through the opening made, because the residual attached parts of the ribs (indicated by arrows) would have obscured access to the lung. A posterior view of the thorax illustrating the results of detaching or cutting the ribs.
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