Nikolaus Rungius : Lifestyle and Status of an Early Seventeenth-Century Northern Finnish Vicar

Vicar Nikolaus Rungius's (ca. 1560-1629) mummified remains have been the subject of research that has provided a wide variety of information on his life. This article examines the ways Rungius's health and lifestyle highlight his status as a vicar, and this status is visible in his burial...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Historical Archaeology
Main Authors: Väre, Tiina, Lipkin, Sanna, Suomela, Jenni A., Wright, Krista Merikki
Other Authors: Department of Education
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Society for Historical Archaeology 2022
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Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10138/339415
Description
Summary:Vicar Nikolaus Rungius's (ca. 1560-1629) mummified remains have been the subject of research that has provided a wide variety of information on his life. This article examines the ways Rungius's health and lifestyle highlight his status as a vicar, and this status is visible in his burial and funerary clothing. He was a relatively large man for his time. CT scans even include indications of certain conditions related to being overweight. Likewise, stable-isotope analyses of his nail keratin support the hypothesis that he was consuming a rather heavy, protein-rich diet. Given his status as the vicar of Kemi parish in northern Finland, he likely made sumptuous use of the rich local natural resources of fish, game, and domestic animals as part of his regular diet. In addition to his diet and health, the vicar's high-quality clothes, while fragmentary, also open an avenue to extend the exploration of his social status and wealth. Peer reviewed