Human Coprolites Research Articles

Trichuris trichiura eggs in human coprolites from the archaeological site of Furna do Estrago, Brejo da Madre de Deus, Pernambuco, Brazil

Trichuris trichiura eggs in human coprolites from the archaeological site of Furna do Estrago, Brejo da Madre de Deus, Pernambuco, Brazil

Determination of prehistoric use of arrowhead (Sagittaria, Alismataceae) in the Great Basin of North America by scanning electron microscopy

Analyses of human coprolites from Dryden Cave, Nevada, indicated that the prehistoric population that inhabited the rockshelter included locally available herbs in their diet. Plant epidermal tissue remains have been identified as fragments from roots ofSagittaria (Alismataceae), a genus of semi-aquatic monocots. Other remains from the coprolites included fish bones, freshwater diatoms, seeds, and pollen. This assemblage supports the hypothesis that this prehistoric population principally exploited the available lacustrine resources of the area; comparisons with other archaeological sites suggests that this pattern had an extremely long history of development in the Great Basin.

Acanthocefalan eggs in animal coprolites from archaeological sites from Brazil.

An important point in paleoparasitology is the correct diagnosis of the origin of coprolites found in archaeological sites. The identification of human and animal coprolites, through the study of the shape, size, characteristics after rehydration, alimentary contents, and the presence of parasites, has proved to be accurate for human coprolites. For non-human ones we compared coprolites with recent faeces of animals collected near the archaeological sites, following the methodology above mentioned. In this paper anteaters coprolites (Tamandua tetradactyla; Myrmecophaga tridactyla) with eggs of Gigantorhynchus echinodiscus (Archiancanthocephala; Gigantorynchidae) were identified.

Infecção por Enterobius vermicularis em populações agro-pastoris pré-colombianas de San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Enterobius vermicularis eggs were found in human coprolites collected from the archaeological site of San Pedro de Atacama, North of Chile, in occupational layers dated from 1,000 BC. Agricultures and herding were begining at this period of time in this region of South America. The paleoparasitological data amplifies the knowledge about the distribution of human oxyuriasis in Pre-Columbian America.

A review of the evidence of human endoparasitism in the pre-Columbian new world through the study of coprolites

A review of helminth eggs encountered in precontact, human coprolites and palaeofaecal material from mummified human remains of the New World is presented. Included is a brief description of parasites and their effects on the host from the three phyla represented, Nematoda (roundworms), Platyhelminthes (flatworms) and Acanthocephala (thorny-headed worms).

The finding of Enterobius vermicularis eggs in pre-Columbian human coprolites.

Enterobius vermicularis eggs were found in human coprolites collected in the archaeological site of Caserones, Tarapaca Valley, Chile, dating from 400 BC to 800 AD. The human pinworm had already been found in other pre-historic archaeological sites in America, and its introduction in this continent is discussed.

The finding of eggs of Diphyllobothrium in human coprolites (4,100-1,950 B.C.) from northern Chile.

Twenty six coprolites from an archaeological site in the province of Iquique, northern Chile, were examined for parasites. Coprolites were found in two excavation units, I and II (Tiliviche site), dated respectively at 5,900 B.C. to 4,110 B.C. and 4,110 B.C. to 1,950 B.C., and identified as of human origin. Only at the unit II coprolites containing helminth eggs identified as Diphyllobothrium pacificum were found. The presence of this tapeworm, a parasite of the American Sea Lion, in human coprolites, points to a diet which included marine fishes and provides information on the antiquity of infection by Diphyllobothrium pacificum. It is interesting to note that Baer (1969) suggests the presence of this tapeworm in pre-Columbian populations when diagnosing the first human cases in today's population in Peru.

Oxyurid (Nematoda) Egg from Coprolites from Brazil

Paleoparasitology began with the pioneering works of Ruffer (1910, Brit. Med. J. 1: 16) and Szidat (1944, Zeitschr. Parasitenkd. 13: 265-274). Human tissues and coprolites were used for analysis; however animal coprolites also have been found and examined for parasites. We report here the results of parasitological examination of 9,000-year-old coprolites of lizards in which nematode eggs were found.

The finding of eggs and larvae of parasitic helminths in archaeological material from Unai, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Introduction The study of parasites in human coprolites can throw light on such questions as the origin and antiquity of parasitic associations in different parts of the world, thus increasing our knowledge of the history of parasitic diseases, and can also be used as an aid to the interpretation of habits and migrations of prehistoric populations. Earlier work on these lines includes that of Przzr & SCHENONE (1954), WITENBERG (1961), PIKE (1968), FRY & HALL (1969), MOORE et al. (1969) and FONSECA (1970), among others. We here report the preliminary results of the parasitological examination of some coprolites collected by the staff of the Instituto de Arqueologia Brasileira, Rio de Janeiro.

Analysis of suspected human coprolites from Terra Amata, Nice, France

Dietary analyses were conducted on 400,000 yr old specimens recovered during the excavation of the Terra Amata Palaeolithic site in Nice, France and initially identified as coprolites. The results of our analyses demonstrate that the identification of these specimens as coprolites is difficult to confirm due to the age of the samples. Consequently, they provide no new data pertaining to the suspected dietary habits of prehistoric man.

The steroids of 2000-year-old human coprolites

Six samples of human coprolites, some more than 2,000 years old, were analyzed for fecal steroid composition. Despite this very lengthy period of storage, the fecal steroids of coprolites were remarkably similar to those of stool samples collected today. The sterol nucleus was clearly rather stable under the dry environmental conditions of the Nevada Caves. The steroid content (microgram/g dried weight) of coprolite was low in comparison to that of modern man. The bile acid/cholesterol and plant sterol/cholesterol ratios of the coprolite, however, were similar to these ratios of the stools of modern man. In the six coprolites, an average 73% of the neutral steroids was digitonin-precipitable. This precipitate was composed of cholesterol and three plant sterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, and beta-sitosterol) and their bacteria-modified products. A portion of the neutral steroids had been converted to products tentatively identified as epimers of these steroids. Individual bile acids were identified in the coprolite. The bile acid composition of the coprolite was similar to that of the stool of modern man.

Human Coprolites from Antelope House: Preliminary Analysis

ABSTRACTPreliminary analysis of the human coprolites from Antelope House indicates that corn and squash were the primary domestic foods. These resources were greatly supplemented by a wide variety of wild plant foods, apparently indicative of adaptation to a broad spectrum pattern of resource utilization. Meat consumption is inferred from the presence of bone, hair, and feathers in the coprolites. Parasite analysis has demonstrated the presence of the ubiquitous, but exclusively human, pinworn (Enterobius vermicularis). In addition, free-living rhabditoid nematodes and mites have been identified in the samples.

Pollen Analysis of Human Coprolites from Antelope House

ABSTRACTForty-six prehistoric human fecal samples (coprolites) were submitted to the Texas A&M University Anthropological Research Laboratories for pollen analysis. Fourteen types of non-economic or background pollen were recognized, as were 12 types of economic or ceremonial pollen. Based on pollen percentages and ethnographic analogies, determinations of probable dietary habits and seasonality of fecal deposition were attempted on 39 coprolite samples, with the majority of samples apparently representing the spring/summer season.

The Callen coprolitic reference collection

From the early 1950's until his untimely death in Ayacucho, Peru, in August of 1970, Dr. Eric 0. Callen was recognized as the world's leading authority in the area of prehistoric human coprolite analysis. During his nearly 20 years of coprolitic research Dr. Callen completed and published the analyses of samples recovered from archeological sites in many areas of the world including coprolites from Huaca Prieta de Chicama in Peru (Callen and Cameron, 1955, 1960); from Tamaulipas, Mexico (Callen, 1963, 1965, 1967a); from Tehuacan, Mexico (Callen, 1967b); from Lazaret, France (Callen, 1969); and from the Glen Canyon in Utah (Callen and Martin, 1969). In addition to these studies Dr. Callen examined but had not yet published the analyses of prehistoric human coprolites recovered from archeological sites in Florida, Kentucky, Egypt and Peru. Dr. Callen was one of the pioneers in the field of coprolitic analysis, and his research set the standards for others to follow. His colleagues therefore felt that it was essential that his many notes, records and reference materials not become lost, scattered, or accidently discarded. Those of us who had seen and used his collections knew of its important value and of the contributions it could continue to make in the field of human coprolite analysis. Fortunately, his complete collection was saved and is now catalogued and available for use. The Eric 0. Callen Collection is stored and maintained by the Laboratory of Anthropology at Texas A&M University. The collection consists of 15,213 micro-

Prehistoric Diet in Southwest Texas: The Coprolite Evidence

AbstractThis report discusses the various kinds of data that are recoverable from the analysis of human coprolites and demonstrates how these techniques are applied to the specific analysis of prehistoric human coprolites recovered from site 41 VV 162 in southwest Texas. The data from these 43 coprolite samples are used to: (1) reconstruct aboriginal diet patterns in southwest Texas between 800 B.C. and A.D. 500; (2) predict specific periods of seasonal site occupancy; (3) distinguish between pollen resulting from the eating of certain plant foods and background pollen resulting from the normal pollen rain; and (4) make limited generalizations concerning the regional paleoenvironment between 800 B.C. and A.D. 500.

The Eric O. Callen Collection

AbstractDr. Eric O. Callen’s notes, records, and reference materials covering nearly 20 years of research in the area of human coprolite analysis have been given to the Laboratory of Anthropology at Texas A & M University. The collection has been cataloged and is now available for use by interested researchers.

Human fluke infection in Glen Canyon at AD 1250

AbstractA fluke egg was identified in a probably human coprolite recovered from a Glen Canyon Utah site of prehistoric inhabitation. True parasitism with the fluke could have resulted from eating snails or fish. False parasitism could have resulted from eating a wide variety of mammals known to have lived in the region. This finding identifies another potential medical hazard in the life of man in prehistoric North America.

Acanthocephalan Infections of Man, with Two New Records

Previous records of acanthocephalans in man are reviewed. Acanthocephalus bufonis (Shipley, 1903) Southwell et Macfie, 1925, is reported from man for the first time, recovered on autopsy of an Indonesian in Djakarta. Corynosoma strumosum (Rudolphi, 1802) Liihe, 1904, is reported from an Eskimo in Alaska, the first record of this parasite from man. Infections of man with acanthocephalan parasites are rare. Many species in this phylum are known to have low host specificity (Golvan, 1957) but for ecological reasons are not likely to be ingested by humans. The intermediate hosts of all species whose life cycles are known are either crustaceans, myriopods, or insects. However, several species are known to utilize fish, amphibians, or reptiles as paratenic hosts, thereby increasing the chances of accidental parasitism in persons eating such animals raw or undercooked. Lambl (1859) gave the first report of a thorny-headed worm in man when he recovered a Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus from a child in Prague. Lindemann (1865) stated the infection was common in Russia, where Schneider (1871) found that scarabaeid beetle grubs, the intermediate host, were commonly eaten raw. Gonzaga (1921) recovered eggs of M. hirudinaceus in two of 1,236 human stools in Brazil. A more recent case of proved chronicity was published by Pradatsundarasar and Pechranond (1965) in Thailand. Moniliformis moniliformis, a parasite of rats and cockroaches, has been reported from man in Italy, Sudan, and British Honduras (Faust and Russell, 1957), and Beck (1959) reported it from a patient in Florida. Grassi and Calandruccio (1888) reported on the symptoms displayed by the second author after voluntarily infecting himself with M. moniliformis. Kuntz (1960) reported acanthocephalan eggs, possibly those of this species, from stools of two children in Dacca, East Pakistan. Moore, Fry, and Englert (1969) made the interesting discovery of acanthocephalan eggs in human coprolites obtained in archeological excavations in Danger Cave, Utah. RadiocarReceived for publication 20 October 1970. bon dating placed the samples at 1869 BC ? 160 years, and AD 20 ? 240 years. The authors suggested that the parasite may have been Moniliformis clarki, which is common in the area. The only acanthocephalan outside the class Archiacanthocephala reported from man is A anthocephalus rauschi, recovered by Dr. Rob rt Rausch from the peritoneum of an Eskimo in Alaska, and described by Golvan (1969). The normal definitive host is probably a fish. The present paper reports the occurrence of two more palaeacanthocephalans in humans. Acanthocephalus bufonis (Shipley, 1903) Southwell et Macfie, 1925 (Syn. Acanthocephalus sinensis Van Cleave, 1937) In 1954, during a routine autopsy by Dr. Lie Kian Joe at the Medical School in Djakarta, Indonesia, four male acanthocephalans were recovered from the small intestine of an Indonesian man by screening the contents of the intestine with a metal sieve routinely used to collect hookworms. No wild animals were dissected in the autopsy room, and there was no chance that the specimens came from an outside source and had become mixed with material from human autopsies. Due to a lack of library facilities in Djakarta it was impossible to identify the worms to species; they were reported as Acanthocephalus sp. by Lie Kian Joe and Tan Kok Siang (1959). One specimen was lost prior to the present study. I now know them to be adult males of Acanthocephalus bufonis, a very common parasite of amphibians in Asia (Yuen and Fernando, 1967). Its life cycle is unknown but probably involves a terrestrial isopod crustacean as intermediate host. I can speculate that the man became infected in one of three ways: (1) by ingesting an infected arthropod; (2) by eating an am-

Biological and cultural evidence from prehistoric human coprolites.

Ancienit organic mnatcrial may be prcsersed when bacterial decay is partially or wholly inhibited by certain enX ironmental conditions and processes, such as refrigeration in permafrost, chemical action in peat bogs, continLuOLIS immersion in seawater, and desiccation in arid climnates. Conditions of extreme dryness in Egypt, Peru, Mexico. and the American West have preserved archeological material that inCluLdes human corpses in the form of na1tUral muLmmies and other Lsuially perishable organic material (1, 2). One of the most mundane, but aIt the same time interesting and informati%\e. types of paleobiological material is ianimal and humnan excrement preser\ed in the form of coprolites (from the Greek kopros, nmeaining dutng, and lirltho. meaning stotne). There are two tvpes of ancient coprolites: mineralized animal excrement of great geological 'age (3) and prehistoric hmaln and animii-al feces preserved in ain organic state. A reviewv of the literattLre SuLggests that, aIthouLgh ancient coprolites pireserved by frost or desiccaltion occuLr mlore frequently than one wouLld SuLppose. there has been very little systematic collecting, aInd prCactically no detailed analysis, of this unusual and potentiallly informaitive biological mnaterial. Food habits of ancient aInd modern animal species have been stuLdied b\y analysis of excrement preserved throLugh desiccation, btut, for the most part. analyses of ancient human fecal material preserved in various archeological sites covering a long span of mani.i's occupation in arid regions in the Old World and the New have been undertaken onlv in order to investigate t he possible presence of pathogens, parasites, and other organisms common

Pollen and Archaeology at Wetherill Mesa

AbstractNine profiles of prehistoric cultural deposits at Wetherill Mesa, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado, were analyzed for fossil pollen content. Relatively large numbers of corn (Zea) pollen occur in certain deposits of Mug House. In the alluvium retained behind low walls of two check-dams, the frequency of Zea is relatively low (.07%) but approximates the frequency of Zea pollen in soil of a garden on Chapin Mesa planted in Indian corn since 1919. Evidently, soil behind the prehistoric checkdams served as corn plots. The abundance of pollen resembling bee-weed (Cleome serrulata) suggests a more important role for the caper family in prehistoric time than would be inferred from its macrofossil record alone. The Cieome-type is common in prehistoric refuse and in human coprolite in the Four Corners area.Pollen content of matrix within a single archaeological site may vary, depending on the nature of the deposit. Although parts of their deposits overlap in time, the pollen content of (1) a trash slope, (2) a kiva, and (3) a work area within Mug House pueblo varies greatly, especially in economic pollen. Variation between profiles is reduced considerably when they are taken from the same type of deposit, that is, adjacent kivas or trash profiles.The hope that the fossil record would shed new light on the cause of abandonment of Mesa Verde was largely unrealized. The main stratigraphic event in the pollen sequence of the last 1000 years is a relative increase in juniper and pine pollen following abandonment 700 years ago. Ecologically, this rise can be explained as the result of secondary plant succession with first juniper and then pinyon invading fields when human disturbance ended. It may or may not reflect climatic change.