Osteological Data Research Articles

Practitioner preferences in the analysis of cremation deposits in archaeology and biological anthropology: An overview of current osteoarchaeological practices with a focus on sex estimation.

Osteological data, such as biological sex, constitute a base for research in paleodemography and palaeopathology, as well as for understanding past socio-cultural practices. Despite extensive research efforts concerning cremated human remains over the past decades, an internationally acknowledged, standardized osteological protocol is not fully agreed upon. Furthermore, assessing cremation research practices from the literature is challenging because analysis reports are often written in the national languages of practitioners, which makes them difficult to access by an international audience. This study addresses this gap by directly reaching out to experts working with cremated human remains through an online questionnaire in Lime Survey. The aim is to identify and characterize patterns in cremation analysis practices. A particular emphasis was put on the methods of biological sex estimation. While the significance of these data is widely acknowledged, the ways in which they are obtained in practice are seldom examined. The results of this survey reveal an absence of standardization in protocols of analysis, and data collection, as well as in reporting on the cremated remains in publications and reports. Notably, the findings reveal regional preferences in methodological choices and inconsistent institutional training. A majority of respondents expressed a preference for traditional morphological methods over recently published metric and alternative methods for sex estimation. These variations underscore the complexity of establishing standardized cremation analysis protocols and highlight the importance of considering regional contexts and training in shaping future research practices.

Human-bird interactions in the Levant during the Late Pleistocene to Early Holocene: Multi-scalar analysis of avifaunal remains

This paper describes analyses of avifauna from Levantine Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene sites at contrasting scales. We present avian osteological data at Shubayqa, in northeast Jordan, illustrating human-bird-environment interactions over 4000 years offering interpretation of environmental change on avifaunal communities and reorientation in the nature of multi-species relationships at a wetland environment. Comparisons to published avifaunal assemblages investigates bird-human relationships across a broader temporal and geographical span. During the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene, some of our species gradually transitioned to agriculture. People hunted birds for subsistence but extensive evidence for the symbolic importance of birds suggests complex relationships between species. Avifaunal evidence, therefore, presents insights into two commonly suggested primary causes for the shift from hunter-foragers to agriculturalists – resource pressure and symbolic expression. In this paper, we investigate and try to clarify the relationship between humans and birds at this transitional period in human history, furthering discussions of the shift towards agriculture. We argue humans gradually modified the landscape but this was not a reactionary response to resource stress. Nevertheless, this resulted in the productivity of the landscape increasing and allowed further intensification. Feathers and talons of birds were used for millennia preceding the shift to agriculture and the increase in bird hunting towards the end of the Pleistocene cannot be explained by the increased role of birds in the symbolic realm. The evidence from the avifauna adds weight to the idea of ecological niche construction activities, as people invested in specific locations, increasing productivity of habitats, thus encouraging further investment within some environments.

Tracing horseback riding and transport in the human skeleton.

Among the most widely used methods for understanding human-horse relationships in the archaeological record is the identification of human skeletal pathologies associated with mounted horseback riding. In particular, archaeologists encountering specific bony changes to the hip, femur, and lower back often assert a causal link between these features and prolonged periods of mounted horseback riding. The identification of these features have recently been used to assert the early practice of mounted horseback riding among the Yamnaya culture of western Eurasia during the third and fourth millennium BCE. Here, we summarize the methodological hurdles and analytical risks of using this approach in the absence of valid comparative datasets and outline best practices for using human osteological data in the study of ancient animal transport.

Comparing morphology and cranial osteology in two divergent clades of dice snakes from continental Europe (Squamata: Natricidae: Natrix tessellata)

Abstract The Western Palearctic harbours a diverse snake fauna, including numerous endemic species and yet unnamed clades, identified through molecular analyses. However, morphological characteristics of these clades, even of common species, often remain relatively unexplored. In this study, we provide an examination of the morphology and cranial anatomy of the semi-aquatic snake species Natrix tessellata (Laurenti, 1768), with a focus on populations of the so-called ‘Europe’ and ‘Greece’ clades. Utilising both museum collections and field data, we first morphologically examined 541 individuals of N. tessellata, categorising them according to previously established clades and lineages that resulted in relatively low morphometric and meristic variation across the species’ range. When assessing the 448 specimens from the ‘Europe’ and the ‘Greece’ clades separately, we similarly observed little variation in meristic characteristics. On the other hand, individuals of the ‘Greece’ clade displayed smaller and more slender body and head proportions compared to those of the ‘Europe’ clade and the pigmentation of the labial scales is distinctively paler in the ‘Greece’ clade, whereas the overall body colouration remains largely similar between the two. Our osteological analysis of 47 N. tessellata skulls also indicated slight differences in the frontoparietal portion of the braincase between the ‘Europe’ and the ‘Greece’ clades, warranting further examination with a larger dataset and extending to other skull components. These findings hold significance for ongoing enquiries into the species’ biogeography, morphology and ecological adaptations. In summary, the integration of morphological and osteological data with genetic information offers a promising avenue for potential taxonomic revisions of N. tessellata in the future.

Five centuries of consanguinity, isolation, health, and conflict in Las Gobas: A Northern Medieval Iberian necropolis.

Between the 8th and 11th centuries CE, the Iberian Peninsula underwent profound upheaval due to the Umayyad invasion against the Visigoths, resulting in population shifts and lasting demographic impacts. Our understanding of this period is hindered by limited written sources and few archaeogenetic studies. We analyzed 33 individuals from Las Gobas, a necropolis in northern Spain, spanning the 7th to 11th centuries. By combining archaeological and osteological data with kinship, metagenomics, and ancestry analyses, we investigate conflicts, health, and demography of these individuals. We reveal intricate family relationships and genetic continuity within a consanguineous population while also identifying several zoonoses indicative of close interactions with animals. Notably, one individual was infected with a variola virus phylogenetically clustering with the northern European variola complex between ~885 and 1000 CE. Last, we did not detect a significant increase of North African or Middle East ancestries over time since the Islamic conquest of Iberia, possibly because this community remained relatively isolated.

Comparative osteology of the skull of cowbirds (Icteridae: Molothrus).

Detailed osteological descriptions of the craniomandibular complex of passerine birds are lacking for most species, limiting our understanding of their diversity and evolution. Cowbirds (genus Molothrus) are a small but widespread group of New World nine-primaried songbirds, well-known for their unique brooding parasitic behavior. However, detailed osteological data for cowbirds and other Icteridae are currently scarce and several features of their skulls remain undescribed or poorly known. To address this issue, a detailed comparative osteology of cowbird skulls is presented here for the first time based on data from x-ray microcomputed tomography, dry skeletal data, and multivariate analyses of linear morphometric data. Cowbird skulls offer some functional insights, with many finch-like features probably related to a seed-rich diet that distinguishes them from most other icterids. In addition, features previously overlooked in earlier studies might provide valuable phylogenetic information at different levels of passerine phylogeny (Passerida, Emberizoidea, Icteridae, and Agelaiinae), including some of the otic region and nasal septum. Comparisons among cowbirds show that there is substantial cranial variation within the genus, with M. oryzivorus being the most divergent cowbird species. Within the genus, distantly related species share similar overall skull morphology and proportions, but detailed osteological data allow species identification even in cases of strong convergence. Further efforts are warranted to furnish baseline data for future studies of this iconic group of Neotropical birds and to fully integrate it into phylogenetic comparative frameworks.

Hybridization and introgression in deeply differentiated salamander species – molecular genetics and a reappraisal of Dr. Louis Vallée’s osteological data

Abstract Two morphologically and genetically distinct salamander species (the crested newt, Triturus cristatus and the marbled newt, T. marmoratus) engage over a large area in the west of France where they hybridize at ca. 4%. The species interaction is characterized by ecological differentiation and limited gene flow beyond the F1 hybrid generation. Incompletely isolated species like these allow to investigate the genetic mechanisms and evolutionary forces that maintain their identity in the face of ongoing gene flow, to which a large mosaic hybrid zone provides excellent opportunities. A reanalysis of published morphological data supports the partial breakdown of the species barrier whereas extensive genetic data show that introgression is low yet asymmetric, in line with the dynamics of species replacement inferred earlier. The current work, with seven diagnostic nuclear markers studied for a large sample, revises the estimates of introgression in both T. cristatus (to 0.24%) and T. marmoratus (to 0.11%). Difficulties remain in the recognition of potential triploid hybrids versus backcross hybrids. Haldane’s rule is partially supported, but deeper analyses require the use of a molecular marker for sex that is not yet available.

The skull of Liolaemus huayra compared to other species of Liolaemus and Phymaturus (Squamata, Liolaemidae).

Despite the extensive study of various aspects of the genus Liolaemus, there remains a scarcity of information regarding the osteology of species. In the last two decades, over 100 species have been described within the genus, but still less than 10% of the Liolaemus species includes any osteological data. In this study, we provide a description of the skull of Liolaemus huayra, a taxon closely related to the L. dorbignyi clade (a subset of the L. montanus group). The species was originally described in 2008 based on a few specimens from the Sierra de Quilmes, Tucumán. By obtaining new specimens from a nearby locality (La Ovejería, Catamarca), we were able to prepare the skulls of two males and two females specimens. Despite the limited sample size, we observed intra-specific variability in characters such as postorbital and nasal shape, as well as mandibular curvature. We also document some inter-specific differences based on the scarce osteological information available from other species within the genus. This description constitutes a significant contribution to the osteology of the Liolaemidae clade. We emphasize the importance of detailed descriptions that provide morphological characters suitable for inclusion in comprehensive phylogenetic analyses.

"Until death do us part". A multidisciplinary study on human- Animal co- burials from the Late Iron Age necropolis of Seminario Vescovile in Verona (Northern Italy, 3rd-1st c. BCE).

Animal remains are a common find in prehistoric and protohistoric funerary contexts. While taphonomic and osteological data provide insights about the proximate (depositional) factors responsible for these findings, the ultimate cultural causes leading to this observed mortuary behavior are obscured by the opacity of the archaeological record and the lack of written sources. Here, we apply an interdisciplinary suite of analytical approaches (zooarchaeological, anthropological, archaeological, paleogenetic, and isotopic) to explore the funerary deposition of animal remains and the nature of joint human-animal burials at Seminario Vescovile (Verona, Northern Italy 3rd-1st c. BCE). This context, culturally attributed to the Cenomane culture, features 161 inhumations, of which only 16 included animal remains in the form of full skeletons, isolated skeletal parts, or food offerings. Of these, four are of particular interest as they contain either horses (Equus caballus) or dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)-animals that did not play a dietary role. Analyses show no demographic, dietary, funerary similarities, or genetic relatedness between individuals buried with animals. Isotopic data from two analyzed dogs suggest differing management strategies for these animals, possibly linked to economic and/or ritual factors. Overall, our results point to the unsuitability of simple, straightforward explanations for the observed funerary variability. At the same time, they connect the evidence from Seminario Vescovile with documented Transalpine cultural traditions possibly influenced by local and Roman customs.

Comparing Walker's (2008) skull trait sex estimation standard to proteomic sex estimation for a group of South Asian individuals

This research assesses the potential for misidentification of sex in individuals of South Asian ancestry using the Walker (2008) morphological skull sex estimation standard [1]. Chromosomal sex was assessed using proteomic analysis targeting sex chromosome-specific amylogenic peptides. Results showed that the Walker method produced incorrect classification for 36.7 % of individuals. Overwhelmingly, those incorrectly assigned were chromosomally male. Misidentification was due to males within the group having lower trait scores (i.e., more gracile traits) than the standard would predict. There was also a high level of overlap in trait scores between male and females indicating reduced expression of sexual dimorphism. The use of established multivariate statistical techniques improved accuracy of sex estimation in some cases, but larger osteological data sets from South Asian individuals are required to develop population-specific standards. We suggest that peptide analysis may provide a useful tool for the forensic anthropologist when assessing sex in populations without population specific osteological standards.

Multiproxy bioarchaeological data reveals interplay between growth, diet and population dynamics across the transition to farming in the central Mediterranean

The transition to farming brought on a series of important changes in human society, lifestyle, diet and health. The human bioarchaeology of the agricultural transition has received much attention, however, relatively few studies have directly tested the interrelationship between individual lifestyle factors and their implications for understanding life history changes among the first farmers. We investigate the interplay between skeletal growth, diet, physical activity and population size across 30,000 years in the central Mediterranean through a ‘big data’ cross-analysis of osteological data related to stature (n = 361), body mass (n = 334) and long bone biomechanics (n = 481), carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes (n = 1986 human, n = 475 animal) and radiocarbon dates (n = 5263). We present the observed trends on a continuous timescale in order to avoid grouping our data into assigned ‘time periods’, thus achieving greater resolution and chronological control over our analysis. The results identify important changes in human life history strategies associated with the first farmers, but also highlight the long-term nature of these trends in the millennia either side of the agricultural transition. The integration of these different data is an important step towards disentangling the complex relationship between demography, diet and health, and reconstruct life history changes within a southern European context. We believe the methodological approach adopted here has broader global implications for bioarchaeological studies of human adaptation more generally.

Crisis in motion: the final days of Iron Age I Megiddo

The destruction of Iron I Megiddo in the early 10th century BCE was a momentous event in the history of the southern Levant. It marked an abrupt break in the long cultural development of the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. Despite extensive field research, essential questions related to this event remain unanswered, especially regarding the processes that took place in the city immediately before its destruction. In this article, findings from recent excavations in the south-eastern sector of the mound, where a detailed Iron I stratigraphic sequence was explored, are reported. In addition, finds from two nearby areas previously excavated were re-evaluated, focusing mostly on contextual aspects of the osteological data. This study sheds light on the deterioration of the city in the decades preceding its final demise, and suggests that the event was caused by human agents rather than a natural disaster. It also hints that in its last days, Megiddo may have been besieged, which explains the peculiar re-appearance of intra-mural burials at the site. The case of Iron I Megiddo provides a high-resolution snapshot of actions taken by the inhabitants of a Near Eastern city on the eve of a major crisis.

The Halcyornithidae from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK): A species complex of Paleogene arboreal birds

We report fossils of the Halcyornithidae from the early Eocene London Clay of Walton-on-the-Naze (Essex, UK). The material includes remains of nine individuals of these small zygodactyl birds, which belong to at least seven different species, two of which are newly described. This documents a high species richness of halcyornithids in the London Clay, and these birds apparently underwent a significant radiation in the early Paleogene. One of the specimens includes a skull with a proportionally much smaller neurocranium than in Pseudasturides macrocephalus from Messel, suggesting an increased encephalization of halcyornithids towards the middle Eocene. A previously undescribed variation in sternum morphology of halcyornithids distinguishes the fossils we assign to the taxa Pulchrapollia and Cyrilavis and indicates that halcyornithids occupied disparate ecological niches. Furthermore, sternum morphology supports a sister group relationship between the halcyornithid taxa Pulchrapollia and Pseudasturides. The closest extant relatives of the Halcyornithidae remain elusive, but our new osteological data substantiate the hypothesis of a sister group relationship to the Messelasturidae, another group of Eocene birds with zygodactyl feet.[http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DDC1768F-1389-4F36-92F6-46DA318A0C19].

Rediscovery, range extension, phylogenetic relationships and updated diagnosis of the Ornate Long-tailed Lizard Latastia ornata Monard, 1940 (Squamata: Lacertidae).

The lacertid Latastia ornata was known to date only by its holotype collected in 1938 in Bafatá, central Guinea-Bissau. We report new specimens and localities from Guinea-Conakry, a new country record and major range extension of 700 km SE of the type-locality. We provide an updated diagnosis of the species, including the first genetic and osteological data, and confirm that Latastia ornata is closely related to, but distinct from, L. longicaudata based on external morphology, cranial osteology, DNA data and zoogeography.

New records of Pimelodella (Siluriformes, Heptapteridae) from Colombia for the Amazon River basin, and redescription of P. serrata.

We recorded Pimelodella bockmanni and P. serrata for the first time for Colombia, based on specimens collected in tributaries from the main channel of the Amazonas River, in the so-called Trapecio Amazónico, in the southernmost region of this country. We also present morphometric, meristic, and osteological data of the examined material, and provide a complementary morphological description of the poorly known P. serrata, a species known only from the Madeira River drainage in Bolivia and Brazil.

An evolutionary paradox on threadsnakes: Phenotypic and molecular evidence reveal a new and remarkably polymorphic species of Siagonodon (Serpentes: Leptotyphlopidae: Epictinae) from Amazonia

Threadsnakes are known for their conserved external morphology and historically controversial systematics, challenging taxonomic, biogeographic and evolutionary researches in these fields. Recent morphological studies—mostly based on µCT data of the skull and lower jaw—have resolved systematic issues within the group, for instance leading to the description of new taxa or re-positioning little-known scolecophidian taxa in the tree of life. Herein we describe a new polymorphic species of the genus Siagonodon from Amazonia based on morphological (external, osteology and hemipenis) and molecular data, and provide the first hemipenial description for the genus. We also reassign Siagonodon acutirostris to the genus Trilepida based on osteological data in combination with molecular evidence. The new species described represents an evolutionary paradox for scolecophidians because the species displays a remarkable variation in the shape of the snout region that is otherwise always highly conserved in this clade. Finally, this study reinforces the importance of protected areas as essential in maintaining vertebrate populations, including those that are not yet formally described.

NOBODY PUTS GRANDMA IN THE CORNER: PLACEMAKING AT EARLY CLASSIC CHAN CHICH, BELIZE

Mortuary evidence of the Early Classic period (AD 250–600) at the Chan Chich acropolis suggests the consolidation of power by the local ruling elite. Located in the northeastern corner of the Upper Plaza, Burial CC-B20 contained the exceptionally well-preserved remains of an elderly adult female within a stone-lined crypt (Crypt 2; cal AD 257–387). The excellent skeletal preservation allowed a comprehensive osteobiography; cranial modification, stable isotopes, and pathological changes to the vertebrae and long bones tell a story of a long and active life. The Early Classic was a transformational era at the city. During the Preclassic period, the Chan Chich rulers consolidated power by manipulating the built environment to create a political place in the Upper Plaza. In the Early Classic, they constructed a vaulted crypt in the Upper Plaza, partially dismantling a Late Preclassic platform in the process. Crypt 1 contained multiple male individuals and markers of rulership, including spondylus shell earflares and a jade bib-helmet pendant. In contrast, the coeval Burial CCB-20 lacked artifacts, but the construction of the crypt was labor-intensive. The interment of the woman in Burial CCB-20 marks a change in the location and body treatment of the ruling lineage interred in this exclusive location. Osteological data are interpreted in concert with contextual information to gain insight into local ideas concerning power and gender, as well as into elite life at Early Classic Chan Chich.

Weapons Related Perimortem Injuries in an Individual From the Krbava Cathedral Cemetery in Croatia - Possibly Sustained During the Battle on Krbava Field in 1493

Recent archaeological excavations of the historic period Krbava cathedral cemetery in the Lika region of Croatia revealed the presence of an individual with an antemortem fracture typical of interpersonal violence as well as a large number of perimortem sharp force injuries located in the cranial and postcranial skeleton. The cemetery is located just 500 meters south of the field of Krbava where a large battle between an Ottoman and Croatian army was fought in 1493. Archaeological evi¬dence and radiocarbon dating indicate that this individual was buried during the youngest phase of the site which dates from the first decades of the 15th until the end of the first quarter of the 16th century. The aim of this paper is to evaluate whether he may have been a soldier who perished in the battle. Osteological analysis of the skeleton shows the presence of several occupational stress markers associated with high physical activity during life, as well as numerous perimortem in¬juries that were produced by sharp objects similar to a saber. Their location in the shoulder, arm, neck, and cranial area suggests that the head was the main target of attack demonstrating the intention to incapacitate the victim as quickly as possible. Other potential hypotheses for this individual’s death, such as judicial execution, or a tavern brawl are also explored but cumulatively the collected osteological data, in conjunction with the available archaeological and historical evidence, suggest that he was a professional soldier who was killed in the battle fought on the field of Krbava in 1493.

Investigating Two Mass Grave Sites of WWII POW Camps in Lithuania

Abstract In 2020, archaeological excavations, exhumations, and field research were conducted at two mass grave sites near Zokniai and Armalėnai (Fig. 1) in order to locate, exhume, document, identify where possible, and respectfully bury the human remains. Archaeological field methodology was employed during the excavation and exhumation phases; the visual examination data, supplemented by osteological data obtained using anthropological methodology, was separately recorded for each individual using a standardized format. A total of 1927 individuals were exhumed, documented, and buried. The Zokniai investigation revealed that the burial site originated in late 1941 and contained POWs who were either in transit or performing harsh labour at the airport; many had died from gunshot lesions and mistreatment. The stationary camp inmates at Armalėnai were buried in late 1942 - early 1943, their deaths presumably being the result of exhaustion and disease. Both investigations illustrate how interdisciplinary collaboration between archaeology and anthropology can offer forgotten people greater respect and recognition.

An elite burial of the Chinge-Tey I kurgan: preliminary analysis of anthropological data

The article presents preliminary results of the analysis of the skeletal remains of an individual buried in the elite grave 9 of the Chinge-Tey I kurgan. According to osteological data the skeleton belongs to a male of 20–25 years old. The hip and lower extremity bones display the periosteal lesions. Despite postmortem destruction and deformation, the skull was reconstructed and measured using rather wide battery of traits. The data on thirteen cranial metric traits were analyzed by means of discriminate canonical analysis using averaged intra-group correlation matrix. To compare the male from grave 9 with other Scythian populations of Tuva, the obtained vector scores were used to calculate the squared Mahalanobis distances (D2).The results of statistical analysis reveal high level of similarity between the morphology of the male skull from the elite grave with other samples of the Aldy-Bel culture. The characteristic morphologic complex includes the largest width of the skull and the least protruding nasal bones comparing to all other samples from Tuva. Among the closest analogies to the Chinge-Tey I skull is the sample from another elite burials of the Aldy-Bel culture, the Arzhan-2 kurgan.