Our Changing Bodies: The lessons of anthropometric history June 11, 2009

Speaker: Professor Sir Roderick Floud FBA

What can the study of height, health and welfare teach us about our past? Can it tell us
about our cognitive development or changing lifespans?

Studying the physical stature of people through history can deliver a clearer and more
accurate idea of their welfare than we could achieve by mere economic or monetary indicators.
The use of anthropometric elements in studying history can greatly enhance our ideas of the
changing qualities of life and welfare, and it may even enable us to uncover exciting new
regions of our past.

This lecture will offer an introduction and advocation of an anthropometric approach to
history.

Professor Sir Roderick Floud FBA, is the Provost of Gresham College.

Official Website: http://www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=45&EventId=870