02508nas a2200349   4500000000100000008004100001260001200042653001600054653002800070653001200098653004600110653002000156653001800176100001400194700001400208700001000222700001300232700001300245700002300258700001300281700001600294700001100310700001200321700001400333700001400347245017200361856015300533300000900686490000800695520144100703022001402144       2023                            d  c09/202310aAvar period10aDanube-Tisza Interfluve10aleprosy10aMacromorphological disease manifestations10aPalaeopathology10aSocial Stigma1 aSpekker O1 aTihanyi B1 aKis L1 aMadai Á1 aPálfi G1 aCsuvár-Andrási R1 aWicker E1 aSzalontai C1 aSamu L1 aKoncz I1 aMarcsik A1 aMolnár E00aLeprosy: The age-old companion of humans - Re-evaluation and comparative analysis of Avar-period cases with Hansen's disease from the Danube-Tisza Interfluve, Hungary.  uhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1472979223000914/pdfft?md5=d2df08672ca866946d9e497e37f42d32&pid=1-s2.0-S1472979223000914-main.pdf  a1-250 v1423 a<p>In recent years, our knowledge of leprosy in the past has substantially been enriched. Nonetheless, much still remains to be discovered, especially in regions and periods from where no written sources are available. To fill in some research gaps, we provide the comparative analysis of eight Avar-period leprosy cases from the Danube-Tisza Interfluve (Hungary). In every case, to reconstruct the biological consequences of leprosy, the detected bony changes were linked with palaeopathological and modern medical information. To reconstruct the social consequences of being affected by leprosy, conceptualisation of the examined individuals' treatment in death was conducted. In every case, the disease resulted in deformation and disfigurement of the involved anatomical areas (rhinomaxillary region, feet, and/or hands) with difficulties in conducting certain physical activities. These would have been disadvantageous for the examined individuals and limited or changed their possibilities to participate in social situations. The most severe cases would have required continuous support from others to survive. Our findings indicate that, despite their very visible disease and associated debility, the examined communities did not segregate leprosy sufferers but provided and cared for them, and maintained a strong enough social network that made their survival possible even after becoming incapable of self-sufficiency.</p>
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