Bone Voyage: The Bioarchaeology Behind the Skeletal Remains at St. Mary Magdalen, Winchester

For this blog, we're going to go back in time to a medieval burial site in Winchester, England! This place, known as St. Mary Magdalen, was a leprosarium, a hospital and cemetery for people suffering from leprosy, and it was established not long after the Norman Conquest, around 1066 AD. What makes this site so interesting is not only the high number of people buried there with signs of leprosy, but one particular grave that stood out to archaeologists: a young man now referred to as Sk27. His burial tells a story of illness, faith, and possibly travel, all revealed through a combination of science and symbolism!

A Look at the Site

The excavations of St Mary Magdalen, Winchester, looking west towards the City. © Simon Roffey, via Brill

St. Mary Magdalen served as a leprosarium during the 11th and 12th centuries, which was also the height of medieval pilgrimage. Amazingly, out of everyone buried there, about 86% show skeletal signs of leprosy. Sk27 was no exception. He was between 18 and 25 years old and buried in a supine position, with his right hand over his pelvis. But the thing that really caught attention was what he was buried with: a scallop shell. This small but important artifact is traditionally linked to pilgrimage, especially journeys to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

View of the east end of the mid-12th-century chapel (looking south). The north-south running wall with the sandy mortar in the foreground represents the remains of the east end of the smaller and earlier chapel dating to around the first few decades of the Norman Conquest. © Simon Roffey, via Brill

The Bioarchaeology Behind the Discovery

Magdalen Hill Archaeological Research Project/MHARP

Bioarchaeologists used several different methods to get a fuller picture of who Sk27 was and what his life might have been like:

• Palaeopathological Analysis: Sk27’s skeleton showed classic signs of leprosy. His foot bones, in particular, had porous spots and early signs of bone resorption, common indicators of the disease.

Sk27: Distal foot phalanges showing porosity and beginnings of some bone resorption (Credit: MHARP)

• DNA Testing: Scientists tested his bones and confirmed the presence of Mycobacterium leprae, the bacteria that causes leprosy. This added genetic proof to the physical evidence seen in his skeleton.

• Stable Isotope Analysis: By analyzing the isotopes in his bones and teeth, researchers figured out that Sk27 likely ate a protein-rich diet, possibly including seafood, and may not have been born locally. His strontium and oxygen levels suggest he either moved during his life or came from a different part of the region.

• Dental Evidence: His skull had a thick buildup of dental calculus, especially on the upper teeth. This could have been caused by a combination of poor oral hygiene, a soft or mushy diet, and possibly the effects of leprosy on the mouth.

  
  

  

  Fig. 3. Sk27 skull showing heavy deposition of calculus on the left side of the mandibular and maxillary dentition, particularly on the latter, where it exhibits a nodular appearance (Credit: MHARP)

• Facial Structure: One interesting thing to note is that Sk27 didn’t show the typical facial bone changes often seen in people with advanced leprosy, like damage to the nasal area. His facial features actually looked different from others buried at the site.

  

  Fig. 4. Frontal view of Sk27 skull, showing preservation of the anterior nasal spine and no obvious signs of facies leprosa. The appearance of the cranial morphology was notably different to other individuals in the same cemetery (Credit: MHARP)

This kind of research shows how bioarchaeologists can take science and use it to piece together real human stories from the past. It's incredible how much we can learn from just bones and a few buried objects! How amazing!

The Infamous Scallop Shell

The shell is a symbol of a pilgrim who has made the journey to the shrine of St James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain

The scallop shell found with Sk27 is one of the most compelling parts of this discovery. It’s the same kind of shell that was carried by pilgrims who made the journey to Santiago de Compostela. Its presence in his grave suggests a lot: that he may have been a pilgrim himself, or that someone wanted to honor his faith or final wishes. The shell was cut to fit closely around his body and placed near his left hand, showing that it had symbolic meaning.

This also raises deeper questions. Was he traveling when he got sick? Was he hoping for a miracle cure? Either way, it shows how faith, illness, and identity were all wrapped up in medieval life!

Conclusion

The St. Mary Magdalen leprosarium offers a really wonderful glimpse into what life, and death, was like for people suffering from leprosy during the Middle Ages. Sk27’s story, told through his skeleton and a single scallop shell, connects science and history in a way that feels incredibly human. Through bioarchaeology, we’re able to reconstruct not just his illness, but parts of his life journey, his diet, and maybe even his hopes. It’s an amazing reminder that even the smallest artifacts can carry big stories!

References:

Roffey, S., et al. (Year). BioArchaeology: Archaeologists Uncover The Skeleton Of A Medieval Christian Pilgrim With Leprosy. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

"Medieval Skeleton of a Pilgrim with Leprosy Uncovered." BBC News, 5 Feb. 2017, www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-38748911. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

Roffey, Simon, et al. "BioArchaeology: Archaeologists Uncover the Skeleton of a Medieval Christian Pilgrim With Leprosy." PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, vol. 11, no. 1, 2017, doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0005186. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.