Non-metric variations of the axial skeleton bones in medieval skeletons from Vinica Fortress (Vinichko Kale)

Abstract

The majority of researchers use cranial and infracranial non-metric traits as separate entities in their investigations of the past populations. We decided to focus our investigation on the axial skeleton non-metric traits, consisting of components such as cranial and vertebral column skeleton. The main goal of our study was to gain some insight into the expression of axial skeleton non-metric traits in a medieval population sample. We investigated 72 well preserved skeletons from the medieval period documented collection (11-12 century AD) in order to examine axial skeleton non-metric traits. The skeletons belonged to individuals aged 20 to 65 years, of both sexes, exhumed from the necropolis Vinichko Kale. Analysis of cranial non-metric traits in our population sample showed a high prevalence of occipital bone cranial traits, such as os apicis (13.9%) and torus occipitalis (20.8%). Among vertebral column non-metric traits, a high prevalence of cervical spine traits, such as ponticulus posterior atlantis (11%), foramen transversarium partitum - FTP (33.3%), foramen transversarium apertum - FTA (13.9%) and cervical ribs (13.9%) was noted. Our findings of skeletal non-metric traits in the medieval population can provide additional knowledge in the skeletal growth and development in general.