[Ansteorra] Sleeping sitting up vs lying down

[Stefan li Rous]

Ivo Blackhawk. commented:
> I was under the impression that the "they were smaller back then" idea
> had been debunked. Though don't ask me where I got this idea from..

As an absolute statement, yes it has been debunked. But yes there  
were time periods and cultures where folks were shorter than at other  
times. In the earlier Middle Ages folks were often taller than they  
were, in general, during the height of the industrial revolution. and  
the later Middle Ages. Nutrition was the cause, or actually the lack  
of it.  Since nutrition plays a part in this, it would also vary  
depending upon whether you are talking about the peasants or the  
nobility.

A good book that goes into this, and other interesting facts often  
found out in grave sites is:
"London Bodies: The Changing Shape of Londeners from Prehistoric  
Times to the Present Day"
Werner, Alex
ISBN: 0-904818-91-8
Art Books Intl Ltd
Hardcover
April 1999

Unfortunately, just because it is in my database of the books I own,  
it doesn't mean I know where in my collection it currently resides.  
Otherwise I could look at it and give you a better idea of the height  
differences for different time periods that the book describes.

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
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