Advancements, challenges, and prospects in the paleopathology of scurvy: Current perspectives on vitamin C deficiency in human skeletal remains

Abstract

The aim is to provide an overview of the nature of the content of palaeopathology articles in the International Journal of Paleopathology during the first ten years of publication (2011–2020), and to compare these results with those from other similar journals.The method used is bibliometry of International Journal of Paleopathology plus nine other periodicals publishing in the field of osteoarchaeology / palaeopathology. In these ten journals, 2513 publications in human osteology are reviewed of which 1032 are devoted specifically or substantially to palaeopathology.International Journal of Paleopathology has attracted a large number of palaeopathology publications, but this has not been at the expense of extant journals. Its appearance appears to have coincided with an expansion of the discipline, and it may also act as a focus for publication for articles that would not previously have found a venue. Its output is distinctive from other journals assessed, with greater emphasis on review articles (including those focusing on method and theory in palaeopathology) and, especially, on case reports.International Journal of Paleopathology acts as a focal point for publications from diverse areas of the field. The connection with the Paleopathology Association provides a conduit by which outcomes of debates within the profession concerning future priorities for the field (e.g. development of method and theory; the status of the case report within the discipline) can be reflected in journal policy.Palaeopathology and other osteoarchaeology articles are published in venues other than those analysed in the current work.