Hidden Histories: Caring for the Elderly and Infirm

Welcome to Hidden Histories. In this series, we take a closer look at the world around us and explore the hidden depths of our shared history.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Archaeology
• excavation
• elderly
• Infirm
• disability
• Neanderthals
• neanderthal
• Sungir
• gravettian
• ice age
• burials
• head to head
• juveniles
• Vikings
• anglo Saxons
• almshouse
• York
• Northern England
• athelstan
• Hospital of St. Cross
• Winchester
• Crusadesm Hospitaller
• Order
• Knights
• Templar
• care
• medical
• Qilakitsoq
• mummies
• nasal
• cancer
• down
• syndrome
• hip
• Holy Jesus Hospital
• Newcastle upon Tyne
• North East of England
• Charity

[alflayla5]

Very interesting, high-standard food for thought as usual. However, there's something about Shanidar, a slight passing comment you make, but.....I thought the so-called Neanderthal "burials" found there had a taphonomic explanation?Also, you don't mention at all the sanctuaries of the classical world (e.g.Asklepion's and many others) with structures designed for the care and lodging of sick people, where hundreds of pilgrims travelled; function later taken up by Christian shrines in the west.

[Archaeos0up]

@alflayla5 Hello Alflayla! Once again, you make excellent points... I mentioned the 'hint' of burials in that cave as there is still debate and, though the Taphonomy IS compelling; personally, I don't discount the possibility of Neanderthals burying their dead - If not here then somewhere...

Re: the other examples. There are many but I attempt to cover as much as possible in as bite-size a video as possible. It's just a matter of time really.

Thank you for your insightful comments, as ever!

[colourmegone]

The argument about the mayor building the hospital to garner votes makes no sense. Even if he did it shows that the community cared for the sick and the infirm and that's the important point. We are caring animals despite the fact that we have outliers who lack the feelings of empathy most of us share.

[Archaeos0up]

@colourmegone Excellent comment! In this instance, the argument is based in the hospital's locale and its architecture. The building is designed to be SEEN. Beautiful on the outside, simple on the inside. It was placed within sight of the Mayor's house and could easily be overseen by him.

I agree, he MUST have been a good man; indeed he was! However, I can also see why people think that the Charitable and Political advantages went hand-in-hand. Freemen held many votes. Help them, help yourself!

[colourmegone]

@Archaeos0up And I'm sure it was beautiful in order to be a source of pride to the community and shows that the care of its citizens was a primary driving force in the daily life of its people.

[Archaeos0up]

@colourmegone Quite! This is just one of the reasons put forward for the founding of the hospital, particularly in the political climate of the day, when charity was a business. I utterly agree and indeed the whole point of this video to hi-light that we're essentially caring and good to each other!

[Archaeos0up]

@Alanf15 Thanks for your comment. That depends on who you talk to! I am well aware that Neanderthals are a 'sister' species to human beings and we share a common ancestor in Homo Erectus. However, there have been compelling studies which point to many Europeans having inherited some Neanderthal DNA... a bit of inter-breeding!

In this video however, I am merely presenting Neanderthals as a previous inhabitant of the world. The use of the word 'ancestor' is unfortunate.

Thanks for watching!

[Alanf15]

Neanderthals are not our ancestors, they diverge from a common ancestor with us, and would be the closest specie to ours, but we survived and they didn't.

[Alanf15]

@Archaeos0up and that might me correct look at this:

w ww.msnbc.msn.com/id/44400953/#­.TwhtaTWClMR

[alflayla5]

@Archaeos0up Being able to discuss these issues is such a luxury; you're a jewel!! With my comment I just wanted to make the point that between the hunter-gatherer societies and the middle ages (with the hospitalers and your British alms-houses) there are many examples worthy of mention, for instance, the huge structures of Saint Simeon's in Syria (5th century C.E.) that were destined for the care of sick people? "Hospitals" hardly originated in medieval Europe. Pity about your bite-size limit.

[12punisher12]

Thank you for this interesting history lesson! I enjoy your work, sir!

[falchion49]

This actually goes much deeper. For a long time there's been an 'urban myth' even amongst historians and archaeologists that the young especially weren't particularly highly regarded. Yet it's not uncommon to find a juvenile burial in the company of a revered elder or to even, as I myself have excavated, with grave goods.

Difficult as it is, we've got to be careful not to impose our own opinions of the past onto the actual past itself.

Great vid.

[13otany13ay]

@colourmegone Was thinking the exact same thing. The Mayor may have build the hospital for merely geting elected. But then obviously the voters considered charity to be something of social importance.