According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports on February 23, both male and female Milanese citizens have not changed significantly in height over the past 2,000 years. This is very unusual, as most other studies of height change across generations have shown that people are getting taller on average.
LABANOF anthropologists are working on archaeological skeletons. (Photo: Lucie Biehler-Gomez).
“This is one of the rare studies where stature trends over time have not changed in Europe,” said study co-author Mirko Mattia and postdoctoral fellow at the University of Milan.
“In fact, many studies in Europe have shown a U-shaped trend in adult stature. People in the Roman and Early Middle Ages were quite tall, then followed by a downward trend in the Late Middle Ages. antiquity and/or the Late Modern period, eventually recovering height in the 20th century,” added Mattia.
Height in the world has increased over the past few centuries. Specifically, in just the past 150 years, the average height of people in industrialized countries has increased by about 10 cm. The average young person is about 5% taller than they were 100 years ago.
The team found that the height of Milan men ranged from 152 cm to 195.4 cm, with an average height of 168.5 cm, while the height of women ranged from 143.5 to 177. 6 cm, with an average height of 157.8 cm. Neither of these averages has changed significantly over time.
The team used historical data sources and ancient remains to measure the average height of Milanians over time. “The remains are ancient evidence that can reveal a lot about a person’s life. Here we look at the changing trends in stature in Milan,” says Mattia.
Experts examined 549 skeletons, selecting more than 50 women and 50 men for each historical period including the Roman period (1st – 5th centuries), Early Middle Ages (6th – 10th centuries), and Late Middle Ages (6th – 10th centuries). Medieval (11th – 15th centuries), Modern (16th – 18th centuries) and Contemporary (19th – 21st centuries).
The entire sample derives from the urban environment, in particular the cemeteries in the city of Milan, and from the same socioeconomic background, mainly the lower class. This is to limit geographical and social differences. The skeletons were taken from the LABANOF Anthropology Collection (Laboratory of Anthropology and Dentistry of the University of Milan), displayed in the Museum of Anthropology, Medicine and Forensic Science of Human Rights.
The team offers several reasons for the fact that the height of the Milanese has remained virtually unchanged from Roman times to the present. “First, geographical and socioeconomic circumstances are homogenous, individuals come from a single place (the city of Milan) and have similar socioeconomic backgrounds, limiting the effects of differences. geographical and socioeconomic,” explains Mattia.
Another reason could be the living conditions in Milan are relatively better than in other regions. The city is rich in natural resources and food, with a walled wall that helps fend off threats.