Global History of Health Project

This project creates three large databases, which will allow researchers to reinterpret the history of human health in Europe from the late Paleolithic era to the early twentieth century. During this period, human health and welfare were transformed enormously by the transition from foraging to farming; the rise of cities and complex forms of social and political organization; European colonization; and industrialization. With a trans-Atlantic network of collaborators, we will undertake large-scale comparative studies of the causes and health consequences of these and other dramatic changes in arrangements for work, living, and human interaction.

The Biological Anthropology department at Freiburg University contributed data to the Global History of Health Project and is involved in the analysis of project data relating to dental health and climate variation.

Project administrator for the Freiburg contributions is Felix Engel.