Study Of Human Skeletal Remains Research Articles

Infantile scurvy as a consequence of agricultural intensification in the 1st millennium BCE Etruria Campana

The 1st millennium BCE in Italy was a time of agricultural intensification of staple cereal production which shaped sociocultural, political, and economic spheres of pre-Roman groups. The lifeways and foodways of the Etruscans, the greatest civilization in western Europe before Roman hegemony, are traditionally inferred from secondary written sources, funerary archaeology, archaeobotany, and zooarchaeology. However, no direct data extrapolated from the study of human skeletal remains are available to evaluate the extent to which agricultural intensification and decreased dietary diversity impacted health and the expression of skeletal indicators of metabolic disease. Macroscopic and radiological analyses were conducted on an archaeological skeletal sample of non-adults (n = 29) recovered from Pontecagnano (southern Italy) dating to the Orientalizing period (730–580 BCE). This allowed us to identify five cases of scorbutic non-adults and to assign diagnostic values to skeletal lesions of scurvy that have not been previously described in the literature. The onset of scurvy in the examined sample is related to the increased reliance of Etruscans on crops lacking vitamin C in this period of agricultural intensification. The skeletal expression of scurvy varied among the non-adults, with differences in location and disease severity; these were interpreted considering the age-at-death of the individuals coupled with feeding behaviors and interindividual variability.

Conditions of life and death at Panama Viejo: a bioarchaeological study of human skeletal remains (1519-1671)

Panama, founded in 1519, became one of the most important sites for the Spanish Crown, consolidating itself as an economic center that connected the trade routes between the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans. This situation produced a convergence of people of different origins (indigenous, African, and European) in the city, generating a strong process of biological as well as social and cultural mixture, which impacted daily life during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These processes were addressed by the research project: An ARTery of Empire (ARTEmpire) (European Research Council, Consolidator of Grant [CoG] 648535), which included archaeological excavations at the two sites occupied by Panama's main temple: one to the south-east of the Main Square (1519-1541) and the other where the cathedral was installed from 1542 until the city’s destruction in 1671. This article presents the results of the bioarchaeological study of 175 individuals recovered during the aforementioned archaeological excavations, reconstructing their living conditions. The sample consists mostly of female (55.43%) and young adult individuals (52.57%), highlighting the absence of older adults and the underrepresentation of children and juveniles. The preservation of the sample limited observations of population affiliation, but individuals with traits predominant in African (23.43%), European (21.71%), and Amerindian (9.71%) populations were identified. Paleopathological analysis shows mostly lesions associated with infectious diseases, entheseal changes, porotic hyperostosis, degenerative joint disease, and trauma. In addition, the teeth reveal masticatory wear, calculus, decay, periodontal disease, and chipping. However, an initial observation of the sample indicates no significant differences that show that one sector of the population may have been more affected than another. This is interesting since individuals from diverse origins converged at Old Panama, responding to the process of globalization at this port.

Profiling of human burned bones: oxidising versus reducing conditions

Complementary optical and neutron-based vibrational spectroscopy techniques (Infrared, Raman and inelastic neutron scattering) were applied to the study of human bones (femur and humerus) burned simultaneously under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions, in a wide range of temperatures (400 to 1000 °C). This is the first INS study of human skeletal remains heated in an oxygen-deprived atmosphere. Clear differences were observed between both types of samples, namely the absence of hydroxyapatite’s OH vibrational bands in bone burned anaerobically (in unsealed containers), coupled to the presence of cyanamide (NCNH2) and portlandite (Ca(OH)2) in these reductive conditions. These results are expected to allow a better understanding of the heat effect on bone´s constituents in distinct environmental settings, thus contributing for an accurate characterisation of both forensic and archaeological human skeletal remains found in distinct scenarios regarding oxygen availability.

Outlining a Definition of Oral Health within the Study of Human Skeletal Remains

The term oral health is regularly used in bioarchaeological research to discuss a myriad of pathological conditions of the oral cavity. However, there is very little consensus on what conditions should be included in such a study, and some of the conditions are at odds with those in the clinical literature. In this manuscript, we outline the clinical definition of oral health and develop a strategy in which bioarchaeology can address this type of research. We argue that the terms dental disease and/or pathological conditions of the oral cavity should be used in lieu of oral health. Various conditions that can be included in such research are outlined. Finally, definitions, clinical etiologies, and recording schema for these conditions are discussed as relevant to bioarchaeological studies.

Anthropological analysis and paleo-demographic study of human skeletal remains from the late ancient necropolis of Biverone (4th-5th c.AD), San Stino Di Livenza (Venice, Italy)

The study of the osteological collections preserved at the Museum of Anthropology – University of Padua coming from archaeological excavations dated to the end of 19th and 20th century, is a great opportunity to disseminate still unpublished anthropological data. The aim of this work was the analysis through modern anthropological methodology of the human skeletal remains brought to light in 1983 at the necropolis of Biverone, municipality of San Stino di Livenza (Venice, Northeast Italy). The site, close to Livenza River, began its decadence in the Late Ancient period (4th-5th c. AD) as a result of regional morphological variations and barbarian invasions, that caused an important local depopulation.
 The study focused on the anthropological analysis of 121 skeletal individuals, trying to better understand the paleodemographic profile, the state of health and the way of life of the ancient population of Biverone. A preliminary identification of the ancestry was attempted, considering the general lack of information about the Late Ancient Venetian populations.

Bioarchaeological perspectives on the social experience of prehistoric and historic communities

Traditionally, reconstructions of social complexity in past societies have relied on a plethora of indicators including, but not limited to, ancient texts, monumental architectural and archaeological evidence for hierarchical leadership, surplus storage, craft specialisation and the density of populations. With the exception of mortuary patterns, particularly the quantity and quality of grave goods, bioarchaeological data have featured less prominently in archaeological interpretation. Over the past 40 years, however, the study of human skeletal remains has been more firmly integrated into theoretical explorations of the past, and the broader development of biocultural models has contributed more fully to archaeological research. The first of the two volumes reviewed here is exemplary of current bioarchaeological approaches that draw on human biology, cultural development and physical environments to understand the human experience.

A Study of Human Skeletal Remains from a Cremation Burial of the Koryo Period

A Study of Human Skeletal Remains from a Cremation Burial of the Koryo Period

The Bioarchaeology of Classical Kamarina: Life and Death in Greek Sicily by Carrie L. Sulosky Weaver

222 PHOENIX this final chapter with the bold suggestion that by commodifying the joke, the Romans invented the “joke” as we know it today. This book’s intriguing topic and accessible style will attract a wide audience. Beard’s ability to draw together a wide array of ancient and modern references in her discussions is impressive. Although it does not arrive (or even seek to arrive) at any definitive conclusions, Laughter in Ancient Rome succeeds in leading sympathetic readers on a stimulating journey through Roman “laughterhood” (x). University of Tasmania Jayne Knight The Bioarchaeology of Classical Kamarina: Life and Death in Greek Sicily. By Carrie L. Sulosky Weaver. Gainesville: University Press of Florida (Bioarchaeological Interpretations of the Human Past: Local, Regional, and Global Perspectives). 2015. Pp. 336, 61 figs., 5 tables. The study of ancient Greek cemeteries demonstrates an interesting paradox: a synthesis of an examination of material cultural and funerary rituals with an analysis of the human skeletal remains is rare, since the focus is typically on either the materialritualistic context or on the scientific study of the physical remains. It is only recently that there has been some closing of the academic gap between classical archaeology and biological anthropology, as attested by the growing body of bioarchaeological publications on the Mediterranean classical world.1 This book by Sulosky Weaver is an important addition to these studies as it brings together socio-cultural and biological data in an attempt to answer questions regarding life in the past. The author studies the human skeletal remains and the associated cultural and funerary context of the fifth- to third-century b.c.e. Greek colony of Kamarina in Sicily, following years of excavation at the necropolis of Passo Marinaro. The study of literary sources, material assemblages, and funerary rituals is combined with observations drawn from the study of the human remains, thus providing a holistic reconstruction of a turbulent and dynamic era as experienced by the Greek diaspora. The book comprises six chapters and is enriched by a glossary, figures, and tables. Chapters One and Two set the context for the population under study. Chapter One, “Death and Burial in the Greek World,” is a thorough review of the cultural aspects of death rituals and burial practices in the Greek world, both the mainland as well as the colonies. Chapter Two, “Kamarina,” narrows the focus to the site of Kamarina, presenting specifics of its geography, history, and relevant archaeological research throughout the years with an emphasis on research conducted on the cemeteries. Chapter Three, “Demographic Attributes,” presents data derived from the macroscopic analysis of the human skeletal remains. The 272 individuals under study were fragmentarily preserved, and although this is a significant bias in any sample, the author makes the best of the available material in pursuing the determination of sex, estimation of age, stature, and recording of non-metric traits. This section also includes a thorough analysis of the demographic profile of the population, offering as well a possible explanation of the patterns observed. Chapter Four, “State of Health,” provides a detailed 1 For example, D. C. Haggis and C. M. Antonaccio (eds.), Classical Archaeology in Context: Theory and Practice in Excavation in the Greek World (Berlin 2015). BOOK REVIEWS/COMPTES RENDUS 223 analysis of the observed pathological cases. As a bioarchaeologist, I found this section in particular to be truly balanced, lucid in its presentation, and, most importantly, clear in explaining health and disease patterns to non-specialists in the study of human skeletal remains. The case of the Kamarinean plague, which is here meticulously documented, presents additional information in the form of the new biological evidence. The author provides a good overview of the current research on malaria, porotic lesions on the cranium, and thalassemia genotypes in past Mediterranean populations, a topic that has been greatly influenced by the pioneering work of Lawrence J. Angel.2 It is notable that current studies in bioarchaeology are benefiting from the use of complex approaches involving multiple parameters of analysis, as well as innovative techniques such as Geographical Information Systems3 and paleohistological analysis.4 It should also be noted that, unlike most publications, the author presents the raw data (both in the...

Digit ratio (2D:4D): Is it possible to use it for sex determination in the study of human skeletal remains?

Sexual dimorphism in the relative length of the second-to-fourth digits (the digit ratio, or 2D:4D) in humans has been reported in many studies. The aim of our study was to ascertain possibility of using the 2D:4D ratio as an additional marker for sex determination in the study of human skeletal remains. We have studied 2D:4D ratios obtained from measurements of finger phalanges and metacarpal bones in Russian (45 adult males and 26 adult females) and German (58 adult males and 29 adult females) skeletal series. The difference in 2D:4D ratio between the male and female subsamples in both skeletal series was not statistically significant. Analysis of variance revealed that the 2D:4D ratios in our sample varied more by ethnicity than by the sexual identity of the skeletal material. Our results suggest that the 2D:4D ratio cannot be used as an appropriate trait for the sex determination of human skeletal remains. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:591-593, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

EXPLORING MOBILITY PATTERNS AND BIOLOGICAL AFFINITIES IN THE SOUTHERN AEGEAN: FIRST INSIGHTS FROM EARLY BRONZE AGE EASTERN CRETE

This paper presents the results of a pilot project which combines, for the first time, biodistance and strontium isotope analyses in the study of human skeletal remains from Early Bronze Age Crete (third millennium bc). Information from these analyses offers, in a direct way, insights into the biological distance, and consequently the gene flow and mobility patterns, among human populations in eastern Crete. The results are synthesised with the evidence of funerary practices in order to explore the nature of interaction among communities in eastern Crete. The biodistance analysis supports a strong genetic affinity between the populations represented at the two Kephala Petras skeletal assemblages, while the results of the available strontium isotope analysis favour their local origin; thus the combined results suggest the lack of significant population influx. The biological distance of the two chronologically contemporary populations at Livari-Skiadi, also manifesting completely different patterns of mortuary disposal, is of particular interest since it contrasts with the Petras situation and raises issues of intra-community distinctions, cultural and biological.

BARANGOL: A PAZYRYK CEMETERY ON THE LOWER KATUN, GORNY ALTAI

The article outlines the results of a comprehensive study of human skeletal remains from the Barangol cemetery, Gorny Altai, representing the northern variant of the Pazyryk culture. Archaeological, demographic, craniometrical, osteometrical, and pathological findings are discussed. Results suggest that the Early Iron Age populations of the Lower and Middle Katun River and of southeastern Altai were related by origin, but differed in economic specialization. As well as pastoralism, the northern Pazyryk people widely practiced agriculture.

Estudios bioarqueológicos en el sitio Los Tres Cerros 1 (Delta Superior del río Paraná, Entre Ríos, Argentina)

Resumen: En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de los estudios bioarqueológicos efectuados en la serie de esqueletos humanos del sitio Los Tres Cerros 1 (departamento de Victoria, Entre Ríos, Argentina), una estructura antropogénica monticular ocupada entre ca. 1227 y 560 años AP por cazadores, recolectores, pescadores y horticultores, asignados a la entidad arqueológica Goya-Malabrigo. Las investigaciones bioarqueológicas se enfocaron en determinar la estructura sexo-etaria de la muestra, estudiar las lesiones óseas y analizar las prácticas mortuorias. De acuerdo a estos estudios, en el sitio se enterraron al menos 16 individuos de distintos grupos etarios y ambos sexos. La variabilidad de modos de disponer a los muertos incluye entierros primarios, secundarios y elementos óseos dispersos. Algunos huesos presentaban termoalteración y ocre sobre la superficie. Se discuten estas evidencias a nivel regional con otros sitios del Delta del Paraná con presencia de esqueletos humanos asignados a la entidad Goya-Malabrigo.

The Lives and Deaths of Young Medieval Women: The Osteological Evidence

WRITTEN SOURCES FROM the medieval period focus mainly on the activities of adults, particularly males and often those from the wealthier sections of society. Recent scholarship has attempted to redress this balance by giving attention to medieval women and children, but we are still limited by what we can learn about the daily lives of all members of medieval English society. Osteology, the study of human skeletal remains, suffers from no such bias and can provide substantial and detailed information on growth, health and daily life of the general population. This paper presents the results of a new analysis of the skeletal remains of over 300 medieval girls and young women aged at between 14 and 25 years from a number of English cemetery sites. We incorporate data from the published archaeological literature as well as documentary evidence to provide new insights into the lives and deaths of young medieval women.

Isotopic Studies of Human Skeletal Remains from a Sixteenth to Seventeenth Century AD Churchyard in Campeche, Mexico

In AD 2000, construction activities in the central plaza of the city of Campeche, Mexico, led to the discovery of an early colonial church and an associated burial ground dating from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries AD. During the subsequent rescue excavations, the remains of at least 180 individuals were unearthed from the churchyard. We have concluded a series of isotopic studies of these remains to obtain information on diet, status, place of origin, and date of burial. This work involves the application of both light and heavy isotope analyses to both tooth enamel and human bone. Carbon and oxygen isotope ratios were measured in tooth enamel and bone. Carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were measured on bone collagen. Strontium and lead isotopes were measured in tooth enamel, and the ratios were compared to a large database for the Maya region. Radiocarbon dates were obtained for 10 of the skeletons to evaluate the date of burial and the period of use of the cemetery. The results of our study, i...

Nondestructive sampling of human skeletal remains yields ancient nuclear and mitochondrial DNA

Museum curators and living communities are sometimes reluctant to permit ancient DNA (aDNA) studies of human skeletal remains because the extraction of aDNA usually requires the destruction of at least some skeletal material. Whether these views stem from a desire to conserve precious materials or an objection to destroying ancestral remains, they limit the potential of aDNA research. To help address concerns about destructive analysis and to minimize damage to valuable specimens, we describe a nondestructive method for extracting DNA from ancient human remains. This method can be used with both teeth and bone, but it preserves the structural integrity of teeth much more effectively than that of bone. Using this method, we demonstrate that it is possible to extract both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA from human remains dating between 300 BC and 1600 AD. Importantly, the method does not expose the remains to hazardous chemicals, allowing them to be safely returned to curators, custodians, and/or owners of the samples. We successfully amplified mitochondrial DNA from 90% of the individuals tested, and we were able to analyze 1-9 nuclear loci in 70% of individuals. We also show that repeated nondestructive extractions from the same tooth can yield amplifiable mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. The high success rate of this method and its ability to yield DNA from samples spanning a wide geographic and temporal range without destroying the structural integrity of the sampled material may make possible the genetic study of skeletal collections that are not available for destructive analysis.

Computer models and applications for the management of anthropological data.

Recent developments in the excavation and osteological studies of human skeletal remains have shown the need to adopt a computer and digital approach, which is both practical and methodological, and able to integrate the knowledge and skills acquired in recent years by different branches of archaeoantropological studies, using modern and innovative tools. JASs has repeatedly promoted a “renewal” of the practices related to information management, both through the creation of the forum “Sharing databases in digital Anthropology” (Bruner, 2009), and through the publication of many international works linked to this topic (Canals et al., 2008). To this aim, it is clear that the first step consists in creating a set of integrated applications, capable of managing the various areas investigated in this widespread field. In order to address the management of large amounts of anthropological and paleopathological data and their subsequent processing and interpretation, the Division of Paleopathology of the University of Pisa has created an extensive project relating to excavation and laboratory activities designed to develop a number of data storage protocols and subsequent inclusion into a GIS system (for an extended version of this project see Coschino, 2009). This project has been essentially organized into a tripartite structure; the information system includes two main protocols designed by the research team of the Division of Paleopathology (University of Pisa) which work on an OS WindowsTM: 1. the software SIUS manages the skeletal unit computer records, which aim to store all the archaeological, taphonomic and anthropological data recorded on the field during archaeological excavation; 2. the software BONES stores and handles the dozens of anthropological and paleopathological records compiled during the examination of the skeletal remains in the laboratory. The GIS system allows interaction between the protocols using the two types of software.

Sacral fusion as an aid in age estimation

The degree of fusion at the anterior aspect of the sacral vertebrae has been scored in 242 male and female skeletons from the Lisbon documented collection, ranging from 16 to 59 years old in age. Statistical tests indicate a sex difference towards earlier fusion in young females compared with young males, as well as a clear association between degree of fusion and age. Similar results have been found by other authors in documented skeletal samples from Coimbra and Sassari, and the recommendations stated by these authors regarding age estimation have been positively tested in the Lisbon collection. Although more research from geographically diverse samples is required, a general picture of the pattern of sacral fusion and its associations with age and sex is emerging. We also provide a practical example of the usefulness of the sacrum for age estimation in a forensic setting, a mass grave from the Spanish Civil War. It is concluded that the scoring of the degree of fusion of the sacral vertebrae, specially of S 1–2, can be a simple tool for assigning skeletons to broad age groups, and it should be implemented as another resource for age estimation in the study of human skeletal remains.

A Bioarchaeological Perspective on Egyptian Colonialism in Nubia during the New Kingdom*

During the New Kingdom, Egypt began a military campaign to regain command over Nubia. Extremely successful, their control extended to the fourth cataract by the time of Thutmose III. The circumstances of this power, however, are not well known. It is unclear whether Egyptian colonists or locals administered Nubia during this time. Using a bioarchaeological approach via the study of human skeletal remains and archaeological data from the New Kingdom site of Tombos in Nubia and comparative Egyptian and Nubian skeletal samples, this paper addresses these long-standing questions. Analyses suggest that the Tombos individuals were an ethnically and biologically mixed group. The examination of health indicators suggests that the people of Tombos endured a relatively high degree of physiological stress, despite possible resources obtained through trade networks. Additionally, the Egyptianisation of Nubians at Tombos may have provided a peaceful environment in which few traumatic injuries were seen.

The agricultural revolution as environmental catastrophe: Implications for health and lifestyle in the Holocene

One of the most fundamental developments in the history of our species—and one having among the most profound impacts on landscapes and the people occupying them—was the domestication of plants and animals. In addition to altering landscapes around the globe from the terminal Pleistocene and early Holocene, the shift from foraging to farming resulted in negative and multiple consequences for human health. Study of human skeletal remains from archaeological contexts shows that the introduction of grains and other cultigens and the increase in their dietary focus resulted in a decline in health and alterations in activity and lifestyle. Although agriculture provided the economic basis for the rise of states and development of civilizations, the change in diet and acquisition of food resulted in a decline in quality of life for most human populations in the last 10,000 years.

Human osteoarchaeology in Ireland: past, present and future

IntroductionThe archaeological study of human skeletal remains has been undertaken in Ireland since the mid 19th century. This paper examines the development of human bone studies in Ireland up until the present day, reviews the various approaches which have been adopted, and takes a look at the formal structure of the discipline within an Irish contcxt. The objective is to provide an overview of the study of archaeological human skeletal remains in Ireland from the 19th century through to modern times.