Population of the Late Medieval city of Vologda: characteristics based on the materials from the excavations at the former Ilyinsky Monastery cemetery

This article presents the results of a study of the materials recovered from the Medieval cemetery in Vologda, dating to the 15th–16th centuries. In contrast to previously examined collections, the sample derived from the Ilyinsky Monastery cemetery is confined to a relatively narrow chronological range. This feature enhances the potential for a more precise assessment of how local historical circumstances influenced the demographic structure of the urban population. The sample comprises the remains of 121 individuals. The study was conducted in accordance with standard anthropological methods. The mortality distribution of the individuals within the sample reveals some deviations from a typical pattern. In particular, the group features a high proportion of children (63 %), with infants under one year of age accounting for 52 % of all children. Among adults, a predominance of males has been identified (70 % vs 30 %). The mortality distribution within the male subgroup exhibits two peaks: the first in early adulthood (25–29 years) and the second in the older age category (50+ years). Furthermore, a considerably lower average age at death among females has been revealed compared to other contemporaneous population groups in Vologda.