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Episode 2: Down Syndrome and Researching Disability
In this episode, the Accessible Medievalist takes a look at medieval evidence for Down Syndrome as well as issues with diagnosing historical disability and what burial practices can tell us.
Check out more on the Accessible Medievalist web site!
Bibliography:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Living with Down Syndrome.” November 22, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/birth-defects/living-with-down-syndrome/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/downsyndrome/data.html, accessed January 3, 2026.
Holst, Malin. “Osteological Analysis Coppergate York.” York Archaeological Trust For Excavation & Research. York Osteoarchaeology, 2010. https://research.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CoppergateOsteologicalAnalysis.pdf.
JORVIK Viking Centre. “The People of JORVIK.” https://www.jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk/the-vikings/the-people-of-jorvik/, accessed January 4, 2026.
Martinez-Frias, Maria Luisa. “The real earliest historical evidence of Down syndrome." American Journal of Medical Genetics 132A, no. 2 (2005): 231.
Nolan, Blair, et. al. “Disability and Care in Late Medieval Lund, Sweden: An Analysis of Trauma and Intersecting Identities, Aided by Photogrammetric Digitization and Visualization.” Open Archaeology 11, no. 1 (2025): 1-18.
Rivollat, Maïté, et. al. “Ancient Down syndrome: An osteological case from Saint-Jean-des-Vignes, northeastern France, from the 5–6th century.” International Journal of Paleopathology 7 (2014): 8-14.
Starbuck, John M. “On the Antiquity of Trisomy 21: Moving Towards a Quantitative Diagnosis of Down Syndrome in Historic Material Culture.” Journal of Contemporary Anthropology 2, no. 1 (2011): 19-44.
Mentioned in Episode: Lectures on Tap
Credits:
Music - Medieval Theme 01 by Strobotone is licensed under a Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
Clip - Mulan from MovieSounds
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By Kisha TracyIn this episode, the Accessible Medievalist takes a look at medieval evidence for Down Syndrome as well as issues with diagnosing historical disability and what burial practices can tell us.
Check out more on the Accessible Medievalist web site!
Bibliography:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Living with Down Syndrome.” November 22, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/birth-defects/living-with-down-syndrome/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/downsyndrome/data.html, accessed January 3, 2026.
Holst, Malin. “Osteological Analysis Coppergate York.” York Archaeological Trust For Excavation & Research. York Osteoarchaeology, 2010. https://research.yorkarchaeology.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CoppergateOsteologicalAnalysis.pdf.
JORVIK Viking Centre. “The People of JORVIK.” https://www.jorvikvikingcentre.co.uk/the-vikings/the-people-of-jorvik/, accessed January 4, 2026.
Martinez-Frias, Maria Luisa. “The real earliest historical evidence of Down syndrome." American Journal of Medical Genetics 132A, no. 2 (2005): 231.
Nolan, Blair, et. al. “Disability and Care in Late Medieval Lund, Sweden: An Analysis of Trauma and Intersecting Identities, Aided by Photogrammetric Digitization and Visualization.” Open Archaeology 11, no. 1 (2025): 1-18.
Rivollat, Maïté, et. al. “Ancient Down syndrome: An osteological case from Saint-Jean-des-Vignes, northeastern France, from the 5–6th century.” International Journal of Paleopathology 7 (2014): 8-14.
Starbuck, John M. “On the Antiquity of Trisomy 21: Moving Towards a Quantitative Diagnosis of Down Syndrome in Historic Material Culture.” Journal of Contemporary Anthropology 2, no. 1 (2011): 19-44.
Mentioned in Episode: Lectures on Tap
Credits:
Music - Medieval Theme 01 by Strobotone is licensed under a Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License
Clip - Mulan from MovieSounds