In recent years a number of medical anthropological analyses of skeletal remains (an integral component of which was evaluation of pathological change) from various historical periods was conducted at the department of Medical anthropology, anatomical Institute, Faculty of Medicine at Masaryk university. the main objective of this article is to provide a summary of all diagnostic experience with palaeopathological finds, and research conducted into the optimum methodology for interpretation.

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... same procedures as those commonly used in medical practice (1. history, 2. objective examination, 3. working diagnosis, 4. differential diagnosis, 5. final diagnosis) are applied to palaeopathological diagnoses, but modified in consideration of the peculiarities of skeletal sets. Since the possibility of obtaining anamnesis data and of applying common methods of medical examination are both substantially limited in the study of osteological material, it is also necessary to collect all available literary and iconographic data sources. as a result palaeopathological diagnostics requires extensive knowledge from several branches of science, particularly anthropology, medicine, and history.