Markers Of Occupational Stress Research Articles

Pottery production and markers of occupational stress: Musculoskeletal stress markers and osteoarthritis in two Pacific Island skeletal samples

Pottery production and markers of occupational stress: Musculoskeletal stress markers and osteoarthritis in two Pacific Island skeletal samples

The late Roman necropolis Beljnjaca in Sid anthropological analysis

The aim of this study was the anthropological analysis of seven individuals from Late Roman period which were excavated in necropolis in Sid. Skeletal remains were incomplete, fragmentary and decomposed, so we couldn't manage to determinate sex and age of each individual (one senilis male, one maturus male, one adult male, one maturus female, two adult females, and one juvenilis I, unknown sex). To get a complete anthropological picture of buried individuals, detailed descriptions of individual skeletal remains for each grave were given. The description comprehended: preservation and completeness of skeletal remains, sex and age estimation, stature estimation paleopathological finds, nonmetric skeletal traits and skeletal markers of occupational stress. Dental analysis showed presence of caries, attrition and periodontal disorders. A careful observation of skeletal remains demonstrated that these deceased suffered of joint diseases and hematological disorders. In consideration of all these real existences these people buried here, were health and led a quiet and wealthy life.

Climatic events and environmental adaptations relating to the Mesolithic hominids of the Gangetic Plain

This study discusses the anthropological thesis that human body builds are linear and gracile with extremities relatively long in relation to trunk height dimensions among ancient and modern Homo sapiens inhabiting tropical environments. Populations adapted to cold stress conditions, ancient and modern, possess more massive body forms with shorter extremities and relatively long trunks and are skeletally robust. Anthropometric measurements of the femora are the components of the Robusticity Index, a value that has been used to support the idea that geographical latitudes and climates affect these physical developments. This index is evaluated with respect to early Holocene skeletal series from north-central India at the burial sites of Sarai Nahar Rai, Mahadaha, and Damdaha that are situated on the Gangetic Plain and at Lekhahia in the adjacent Vindhya Hills. Laboratory analyses by four paleoanthropologists, Canadian and American, lead them to conclude that the Gangetic hominids reveal a pronounced degree of muscular–skeletal robusticity and relatively tall stature for adult males and females. As hunter-gatherers, these ancient populations led stressful lifeways demanding a robust muscular–skeletal system energized in ways distinct from that of their descendants whose socioeconomic strategies involved domestication of plants and animals, sedentary village life and seasonal pastoralism. This difference is demonstrated in studies of skeletal remains from food-producing and herding communities of the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age of prehistoric South Asia. Robusticity of postcranial bones of the Gangetic Mesolithic populations is likely due to markers of occupational stress (MOS) rather than to variables of latitudes and climates, or to a single indicial category of anthropometric measurements—the Robusticity Index.

The new necropolis of the Great migration from Singidunum anthropological analysis

The aim of this study was the anthropological analysis of three German individuals from migration period which were excavated in new, fourth necropolis in Belgrade. Although, skeletal remains were incomplete and fragmentary, we managed to determinate sex and age of each individual (two male and one female adults). To get a complete anthropological picture of buried individuals detailed descriptions of individual skeletal remains for each grave were given. The description comprehended: preservation and completeness of skeletal remains, sex and age estimation, stature estimation dental record, paleopathological finds and skeletal markers of occupational stress. Dental analysis showed presence of caries, attrition, abscess cavities and periodontal disorders. A careful observation of skeletal remains demonstrated that these deceased suffered of bone injuries and fractures joint diseases and circulatory disorders. The markers of occupational stress noticeable on the bones indicated that these two men were probably warriors (one of them was possibly even horseman).

Peterson, Jane. SEXUAL REVOLUTIONS: GENDER AND LABOR AT THE DAWN OF AGRICULTURE, Walnut Creek, CA:. AltaMira Press

Peterson, Jane. SEXUAL REVOLUTIONS: GENDER AND LABOR AT THE DAWN OF AGRICULTURE, Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2002, Cloth 0-7591-0256-2 $75.00; Paper 0-7591 -0257-0 $29.95.Drawing on a feminist orientation, Jane Peterson has organized data on the emergence of agriculture in the Near East to explore questions of sex-specific behavior and division of labor in human groups transforming themselves from hunting-gathering to horticulture and village life. She rejects a simplistic model of a uniform, developmental trajectory of social change from foraging to farming but tries to construct a more nuanced picture from the available data, based upon secondary analysis of skeletal and archaeological studies.A relatively junior scholar, Peterson is to be congratulated for tackling questions from a time and place that has been under a strong anthropological lens for many years. The place is a portion of modern Israel, Palestine and Jordan, where there is evidence for plant domestication around 10,000 B.P. The time she studies is roughly 12,500 to 5,000 B.P. She has integrated a substantial literature that includes both field- and theory-based contributions, and the focus on Western Asia will assure that her work reaches a substantial readership. The problem is that the small amounts of data available to her can only support so much analysis. She can't be blamed for using too few skeletons to carry out her study, as there are only so many useable sites (she uses 14) and individuals found as exemplars of life at these sites (she uses 158 individuals, 65 female and 93 male). But whether the data is adequate to support any generalizations more than a suggestion is doubtful.She focuses on the results of research that show markers of occupational stress on skeletons. Noting that physical activity can influence the size, shape and robusticity of bones, and adding observations of joint modification as a response to habitual movement, teeth ware, and the effects of trauma, Peterson reanalyzes the 158 skeletons to assess any gender differences found as evidence for similar or different activities and occupations. Musculoskeletal analysis of many kinds of work activities is developed, looking for lateral and bilateral effects of chopping, throwing, digging, walking, weaving, carrying and many other activitiesAfter explaining the methods and showing the statistical analyses of the results of the tabulations (mostly by non-parametric methods appropriate for these small numbers) Peterson presents the theoretical conclusions of her study in the form of a series of drawings of life in a typical village of the period, showing male and female individuals carrying out activities supported by study of the skeletons of that period. The drawings are charming, and effective tools of communication of her results. But worries remain.In the research of biological anthropologists, musculoskeletal markers (MSM) are a subset of markers of occupational stress (MOS), the latter being all changes in the skeleton and teeth that were ostensibly caused by physical activities during life. …

Skeletal markers of occupational stress in the toes: a case report from Alcabideche (Cascais, Portugal)

The analysis and interpretation of skeletal markers of occupational stress play an important role in the reconstruction of activity patterns and socio-economic life of prehistoric and historic populations. In this paper, skeletal markers on the phalanges of the feet are described in an adult skeleton recovered from the archaeological excavation carried out in the churchyard of the S. Vicente Church (12 t h -19 t h centuries) in Alcabideche (Cascais, Portugal). These markers refer to well-developed flexor ridges on the proximal phalanges of the lateral four toes. The morphology and location of these alterations indicate strong flexor tendons and suggests that they were probably produced by stress brought about by frequent or repeated plantarflexion of the toes. Considering that farming and gardening would be frequent activities in this rural population, the authors suggest that the use of a hoe might be the regular or habitual activity that might have produced these alterations.

Paleoanthropology of South Asia

Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and ReviewsVolume 8, Issue 5 p. 165-185 Research Article Paleoanthropology of South Asia Kenneth A.R. Kennedy, Kenneth A.R. Kennedy Kenneth AR Kennedy is Professor of Ecology, Anthropology, and Asian Studies at Cornell University. His major research interests are in paleoanthropology and forensic anthropology, with an emphasis on the skeletal biology and evolution of prehistoric human populations of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the borderlands of southern Asia. He has conducted field and laboratory research in these countries as well as in Europe and North America since 1960. Current research includes DNA analysis of Pleistocene Sri Lankan fossils, compilation of an atlas of markers of occupational stress and paleopathology in bone and dental tissues, and morphometric studies of Bronze Age skeletons from Harappa, Pakistan. His forthcoming book is entitled God-Apes and Fossil Men: Palaeoanthropology of South Asia. He has received the T. Dale Stewart Award from the American Board of Forensic Anthropologists of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and is a past Vice President of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists.Search for more papers by this author Kenneth A.R. Kennedy, Kenneth A.R. Kennedy Kenneth AR Kennedy is Professor of Ecology, Anthropology, and Asian Studies at Cornell University. His major research interests are in paleoanthropology and forensic anthropology, with an emphasis on the skeletal biology and evolution of prehistoric human populations of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the borderlands of southern Asia. He has conducted field and laboratory research in these countries as well as in Europe and North America since 1960. Current research includes DNA analysis of Pleistocene Sri Lankan fossils, compilation of an atlas of markers of occupational stress and paleopathology in bone and dental tissues, and morphometric studies of Bronze Age skeletons from Harappa, Pakistan. His forthcoming book is entitled God-Apes and Fossil Men: Palaeoanthropology of South Asia. He has received the T. Dale Stewart Award from the American Board of Forensic Anthropologists of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and is a past Vice President of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists.Search for more papers by this author First published: 22 November 1999 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6505(1999)8:5<165::AID-EVAN5>3.0.CO;2-0Citations: 26 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume8, Issue51999Pages 165-185 RelatedInformation

Markers of occupational stress: conspectus and prognosis of research

In his role as discussant of the papers presented at the symposium on Activity Patterns and Musculoskeletal Stress Markers: An Integrative Approach to Bioarchaeological Questions at the 66th Annual Meetings of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists held in St. Louis, Missouri, on 4 April 1997, the author summarizes topics presented by the participants and others, discusses innovative methodological procedures and statistical approaches advanced by these contributors, and offers concluding remarks about the present status of studies of markers of occupational stress (MOS), which include investigations of specific markers of musculoskeletal stress (MSM) and degrees of skeletal robusticity (RM). The recent resurgence of interest in identification and diagnosis of habitual patterns of activity, as registered on bone and dental tissues, is exemplified in this collection of reports by scholars active in the fields of forensic anthropology, palaeodemography, palaeopathology and human skeletal biology. Earlier hypotheses are reassessed by new methodologies, but formulation of reliable standards for recognizing MOS and interpreting their underlying causes remains a challenge for the advancement of future research programmes. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Life conditions of a roman imperial age population: Occupational stress markers and working activities inLucus Feroniae (Rome, 1st–2nd cent. AD)

In ancient populations studies, investigation on activity-induced pathology performed by means of an integrated and epidemiological approach can provide useful evidence about physical activities, age of occupancy, sexual differentiation, social stratification and working tasks division of past human groups. The analysis of occupational stress of the skeletal sample coming from the poor necropolis of Lucus Feroniae, a rural town of the Roman Imperial Age, was carried out on: degenerative disease of joints and vertebral bodies, traumas, hypertrophic changes at sites of muscles and ligament insertion, presence of anatomical variants caused by postural habits or body movements. The results as a whole seem to indicate that the population, likely representative of a low social group (potentially slaves), was precociously and actively employed in heavy manual work activities. These may have included farming tasks demanding lifting, heavy loads transportation and long-distance walking on rough grounds.

Comparative degenerative joint disease of the vertebral column in the medieval monastic cemetery of the Gilbertine priory of St. Andrew, Fishergate, York, England.

The pattern of degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the intervertebral and apophyseal joints of the vertebral column of 81 skeletons from the thirteenth to fourteenth century medieval priory cemetery of St. Andrew, Fishergate, York, was recorded in relation to their location of interment: eastern cemetery, southern cemetery, and intramurally (within the priory buildings). Archaeological context and ethnohistorical accounts support the interpretation that people of different social status were buried in these areas. Linear discriminant function analysis and paired Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests showed that the differences in vertebral column DJD pattern and severity among the three subgroups were not statistically significant. As the archaeological and historical evidence seems reliable, it is argued that the analysis of DJD of the vertebral column might not be ideal to study the effects of normal activity patterns, a conclusion which supports the results of recent bioarchaeological research. Further, high-low plots demonstrate that the differences in DJD pattern were located between intervertebral and apophyseal joints of individuals rather than between subgroups of the cemetery. It is thought that this difference was produced as a response to erect posture during bipedal locomotion, reflecting vertebral curvatures, rather than differing occupational stresses. Thus, due to biological constraints on its function, the vertebral column might not be an ideal structure to study markers of occupational stress.

Skeletal markers of occupational stress in the Fur Trade: A case study from a Hudson's Bay Company Fur Trade post

AbstractThe Seafort Burial Site (FcPr100) is a Fur Trade Period cemetery located near the town of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. The results of recent analysis of skeletons recovered during salvage excavations between 1969 and 1971 suggest that three males in this sample were voyageurs in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company. Vertebral osteophytosis and osteoarthritis, Schmorl's nodes, muscle origin robusticity and new bone formation at entheses and syndesmoses, and osteoarthritis at the elbow and shoulder joints provide evidence for carrying, lifting, and paddling or rowing. The presence of accessory sacral facets also may be stress‐related. In addition, the development of accessory articular facets on the metatarsals and proximal pedal phalanges may indicate activity‐induced stress from hyperdorsiflexion of the toes in habitual kneeling, such as when river canoeing.

Morphological Variations in Ulnar Supinator Crests and Fossae as Identifying Markers of Occupational Stress

Recent morphometric studies of ulnae of prehistoric skeletal remains from populations known to have used spears, atlatls, and similar projectile weapons for hunting and warfare reveal a high incidence of hypertrophy of the ulnar crest, to which the supinator muscle is attached, along with pronounced depth of the adjacent supinator fossa, especially in the upper extremities of males. Similar features occur in the right ulnae of living persons of both sexes who are habitually engaged in certain occupational and athletic activities involving angular displacement of the forearm as a result of medial rotation of the arm at the shoulder, shoulder and arm rapid extension, and abrupt shifts from forearm supination to pronation. Aside from its forensic science implications in determination of right- or left-handedness as a trait peculiar to the individual, observation of these markers of stress on the proximal end of the ulna are significant in identification of skeletal remains of persons known to have engaged in specific brachial activities during life. The biomechanics of these movement patterns and activities in which they occur, when properly interpreted, are relevant to forensic science problems of individual identification and paleoanthropological studies of occupational stress factors in extinct populations for which a skeletal record is available.