Reconstructing the Life Histories of the Individuals Buried in the Rock-cut Cave Church of St. Georges, in Gurat, France

Abstract

In the 1960s and 1970s, eighteen individuals were excavated from the cave church of St. Georges, located in Gurat, France. This thesis develops osteobiographies for these individuals to build on previous studies relating them to the cave church in which they were found providing further contextual analysis. By incorporating the data from previous studies with the osteobiographies, it is possible to suggest who these individuals were, where they came from, and how they may have ended up in Gurat. These theories include these individuals being monks, pilgrims, peasants or some combination thereof. In addition, special attention is given to the life threatening fractures some individuals suffered and other pathological conditions that provide information about their lives and the circumstances that led to their burial at Gurat.