Are we living longer and taller than ancient people?

suopohe

Are we getting taller or getting shorter? The Qin Terra Cotta warriors were direct replica of solders. They were originally holding weapons and the soldiers took them to use in the war. Their average height is 177cm. They were made 2000 years ago. Now, in the same city/province (xi'an/shan'xi) where these replica of solders were made, the average height of males decreased to 172cm.
(http://antiquity.ac.uk/projgall/komlos/komlos.html)

There's also claim that the life expectancy of ancient people is only 30 years old! There are many ancient sources in China that contradict this view. Many ancients lived as long or even longer than current human life span. Some say the life expectancy of the ancient people were short because of wars and sanitary technique.

Whats your take on this?

KnightofBuddha

I think guesses at ancient life spans is pretty suspect. Depends on where you lived. Certainly in the past century, it has improved worldwide and dramatically thanks to the spread of western medicine. I would not have fared well a few centuries ago...would have been nearly blind and in a world of pain.

compassionate_warrior

The average height of Americans has decreased in the last generation or two, according to one study, due to decreased quality of nutrition from junk food. The Dutch are the tallest in the developed world, and live longer than Americans.

AMH

I am pretty short and my oldest is shorter than me, the other kids not looking so tall, and dad's side of the family is really pretty tall,

All my kids grew up with asthma (But healthy vegetarian food for many years). They say that asthma stunts your growth, then they say the steroids they take sometimes stunt your growth.

Here is what I have told my 6'2" brother for many years. I am not short, I am efficient. I can do anything you larger people can do in less space and with less clothing. I just don't seem to eat any less.

Maybe we are just getting efficient

Dakini

I always thought that what helps people reach their full height potential is eating lots of dairy while growing up, for calcium.

Telly03

I always thought that what helps people reach their full height potential is eating lots of dairy while growing up, for calcium.

Hmm, I'm 6'6" and was raised on goats milk

federica

Longer, yes.

Taller, I dunno... there's so much more of a mix of cultures nowadays it's hard to know which way growth patterns are going....
i do remember my daughter discovering for the first time that she'd overtaken me in height....
she exclaimed, "Mamma! I'm bigger than you!"
"No dear," I replied drily, "you're taller - but you'll never be 'bigger' than I...."

Dakini

Hmm, I'm 6'6" and was raised on goats milk

AHA! It's the goat's milk! That's where your extreme political views come from!

haha. Just a little joke between friends, Telly. No infence offtended. Nice Telly *pat pat* Down, boy.

Zayl

I went to the civil war museum in New Orleans, there they had some of the actual uniforms worn by soldiers and officers. They look like they would barely fit a child. The collar on them didn't even come up to my chest and the shoulders were so narrow... Granted I'm a tall and barrel-chested guy but even I could recognize them as tiny.

Denkatsu

Long short. big skinny. faster slower. Who cares.

Telly03

Hmm, I'm 6'6" and was raised on goats milk

AHA! It's the goat's milk! That's where your extreme political views come from!

haha. Just a little joke between friends, Telly. No infence offtended. Nice Telly *pat pat* Down, boy.

From you, this is funny LOL