A large supernumerary bone at the bregma and metopism co-occurring in the skull of an ancient roman in Serbia

P Radovic,Natasa Miladinovic-Radmilovic

doi:10.2298/abs1304637r

Abstract

An unusual anatomical variation was observed on a skull excavated at Laniste (Raska district, Serbia), a Roman necropolis dating back to the second half of the 4th century AD. The skull of an adult male showed a remarkably large supernumerary bone at the bregma co-occurring with a continuous persistent metopic suture. Few similar cases have been reported in scientific literature. We describe the case and discuss possible mechanisms and underlying causes, including pathological conditions.

Highlights

Wormian bones represent one of the most frequently reported epigenetic variants in human skulls (Bergman et al, 1988)
Their incidence can be related to a variety of pathological conditions, but they are commonly found in healthy individuals (Murlimanju et al, 2011). Some, such as wormian bones in the vicinity of the lambdoid suture, are frequent in human populations (40-50%), but others are very rare (Bergman et al, 1988; Brasili et al, 1999). One of these rare variations is a supernumerary bone placed at the bregma, the meeting point of the sagittal and coronal sutures; it forms within a large anterior fontanelle, situated between the anterosuperior angles of parietals and the superior angles of the separated halves of the frontal bone
Our analysis showed that the skull belonged to an adult male individual

Summary

Introduction

Wormian bones (ossicles, supernumerary bones) represent one of the most frequently reported epigenetic variants in human skulls (Bergman et al, 1988). Located within the cranial sutures and fontanelles, these ossicles may be formed from a detached portion of the primary ossification centers of neurocranial bones, or they may rise from a new, abnormal ossification center Their incidence can be related to a variety of pathological conditions (osteogenesis imperfecta, hypothyroidism, cleidocranial dysostosis, rickets etc.), but they are commonly found in healthy individuals (Murlimanju et al, 2011). Some, such as wormian bones in the vicinity of the lambdoid suture, are frequent in human populations (40-50%), but others are very rare (Bergman et al, 1988; Brasili et al, 1999). In some individuals, this suture remains unfused, even in adult life, and in such cases the term used is the persistent metopic suture (metopism)

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