Abstract
This study explores the mortality patterns and presence of porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia in the ancient population of La Ventilla. La Ventilla was a high status neighborhood in Teotihuacan. These skeletal lesions are indicators of health and stress in archaeological collections. Life tables are also calculated to establish mortality rates for the collection. The low presence of these stress markers along with the calculation of life tables indicates low morbidity along with low infant mortality rates. Overall the population of La Ventilla benefited from good health and adaptation to their environment. A comparison to Storey’s (1992) paleodemographic study of Tlajinga 33 – a lower status neighborhood at Teotihuacan – confirmed the higher presence of stress markers and high infant mortality rate in lower class populations.