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Caroline Ahlstrom Arcini (the project’s lead osteologist) commented on the scans: “The gall bladder has also several gallstones which could indicate that you consume a lot of fats.”
Peder had access to sugar, rich foods and other luxuries because of his position in the Church, as well as the privileges and wealth that went with it.
Rough Condition
This indulgence had a price. Peder’s dental condition deteriorated due to his love of sugary treats. He lost many teeth. Peder’s physical difficulties were further compounded by a shoulder injury that made even the simplest of tasks like washing or grooming difficult.
Peder’s multiple health problems paint a picture that his later years were marked by pain and suffering. It is possible that his eventual death from pneumonia was a mercy release from the afflictions and suffering of old age.
