The use of lead was ubiquitous throughout the Roman Empire, including material for water pipes, eating vessels, medicine, and even as a sweetener for wine. The toxicity of lead is well established today, resulting in long-term psychological and neurological deficits as well as metabolic diseases. Children are particularly susceptible to the effects of lead, and it is likely that the widespread use of this deadly metal among Roman populations led to a range of adverse health effects. Indeed, lead poisoning has even been implicated in the downfall of the Roman Empire. This research examines, for the first time, the direct effect of lead poisoning on the inhabitants of the Empire. It explores whether the dramatic increase in lead during this period contributed to the failure to thrive evident within the skeletal remains of Roman children. Lead concentration and paleopathological analyses were used to explore the association between lead burdens and health during the Roman period. This study includes 173 individuals (66 adults and 107 non-adults) from five sites, AD 1st–4th centuries, located throughout the Roman Empire. Results show a negative correlation between age-at-death and core tooth enamel lead concentrations. Furthermore, higher lead concentrations were observed in children with skeletal evidence of metabolic disease than those without. This study provides the first bioarcheological evidence that lead poisoning was a contributing factor to the high infant mortality and childhood morbidity rates seen within the Roman world.

中文翻译：

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死亡金属：罗马帝国内铅中毒对儿童健康影响的证据

铅的使用在整个罗马帝国无处不在，包括用于制作水管、食器、药物，甚至作为葡萄酒的甜味剂。铅的毒性在今天已经很明确，会导致长期的心理和神经缺陷以及代谢疾病。儿童特别容易受到铅的影响，而且这种致命金属在罗马人口中的广泛使用很可能导致了一系列不利的健康影响。事实上，铅中毒甚至与罗马帝国的垮台有关。这项研究首次考察了铅中毒对帝国居民的直接影响。它探讨了这一时期铅的急剧增加是否导致了罗马儿童骨骼遗骸中明显的发育失败。铅浓度和古病理学分析被用于探索罗马时期铅负担与健康之间的关联。这项研究包括来自五个地点的 173 个人（66 名成年人和 107 名非成年人），公元 1 至 4 世纪，位于整个罗马帝国。结果显示，死亡年龄和核心牙釉质铅浓度之间呈负相关。此外，在有代谢疾病骨骼证据的儿童中观察到的铅浓度高于没有骨骼证据的儿童。这项研究提供了第一个生物考古学证据，表明铅中毒是导致罗马世界婴儿死亡率和儿童发病率高的一个因素。这项研究包括来自五个地点的 173 个人（66 名成年人和 107 名非成年人），公元 1 至 4 世纪，位于整个罗马帝国。结果显示，死亡年龄和核心牙釉质铅浓度之间呈负相关。此外，在有代谢疾病骨骼证据的儿童中观察到的铅浓度高于没有骨骼证据的儿童。这项研究提供了第一个生物考古学证据，表明铅中毒是导致罗马世界婴儿死亡率和儿童发病率高的一个因素。这项研究包括来自五个地点的 173 个人（66 名成年人和 107 名非成年人），公元 1 至 4 世纪，位于整个罗马帝国。结果显示，死亡年龄和核心牙釉质铅浓度之间呈负相关。此外，在有代谢疾病骨骼证据的儿童中观察到的铅浓度高于没有骨骼证据的儿童。这项研究提供了第一个生物考古学证据，表明铅中毒是导致罗马世界婴儿死亡率和儿童发病率高的一个因素。在有代谢疾病骨骼证据的儿童中观察到的铅浓度高于没有骨骼证据的儿童。这项研究提供了第一个生物考古学证据，表明铅中毒是导致罗马世界婴儿死亡率和儿童发病率高的一个因素。在有代谢疾病骨骼证据的儿童中观察到的铅浓度高于没有骨骼证据的儿童。这项研究提供了第一个生物考古学证据，表明铅中毒是导致罗马世界婴儿死亡率和儿童发病率高的一个因素。