A paleoepidemiological study of populations from the Neolithic to the Iron Age in Occidental Switzerland.

This research aims at establishing the paleoepidemiology of the populations of western Switzerland from the Neolithic

to the Iron Age. It will draw from several research areas, including paleopathology, biomolecular analysis, and archaeology, in order to achieve its aims. From this interdisciplinary approach, we will be able to establish basic information concerning paleopathology in the concerned populations (such as frequency and demography) and link it to the archaeological information available. We also aim to try to confirm the diagnosis of some diseases (such as tuberculosis) through biomolecular analysis. In summary,this research will provide a better understanding of health in prehistoric Switzerland, as well as highlight the possibilities for future studies, and also provide a new approach to the archaeological information already available for these populations.