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Gomes RAMP, Catarino L, Santos AL. The Role of Fe, S, P, Ca, and Sr in Porous Skeletal Lesions: A Study on Non-adult Individuals Using pXRF. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024:10.1007/s12011-024-04187-4. [PMID: 38691307 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-024-04187-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Portable X-ray fluorescence is a new tool in the study of human bone. This research aims to investigate if variations in bone elemental concentrations are related with porous skeletal lesions (PSLs). One hundred well-preserved non-adult skeletons aged 0-11 years were selected from the archaeological site Convent of São Domingos, Lisbon (18th-19th century). Measuring a standard reference material and calculating the technical error of measurement assured elemental data reliability. Moreover, measuring soil samples excluded possible contamination of bones with elements from the soil, except for Pb. Additionally, the Ca/P ratio indicates maintenance of bone integrity. Cribra cranii, orbitalia, humeralis, and femoralis were recorded as present/absent, and the estimated intra-/inter-observer errors were low. The multivariate analysis found higher odds of having cribra orbitalia (OR = 1.76; CI = 0.97-3.20) and cribra femoralis (OR = 1.42; CI = 0.73-2.74) in individuals with lower Fe and higher S. Furthermore, higher levels of P, Ca, and Sr increased the odds of individuals developing cribra femoralis (OR = 2.30; CI = 1.23-4.29). Age also correlated with increased odds of exhibiting cribra orbitalia (OR = 1.86; CI = 0.94-3.68), cribra femoralis (OR = 6.97; CI = 2.78-17.45), and cribra humeralis (OR = 8.32; CI = 2.71-25.60). These findings suggest a shared etiology for these three cribras, contrasting with the higher Fe levels in individuals with cribra cranii. Lower Fe and higher S levels in individuals with cribra suggest a complex etiology, possibly involving conditions like megaloblastic or chronic disease anemia(s). Age-related elemental changes support the hypothesis that age influences cribra frequencies. This study highlights PSL complexity and opens new avenues for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo A M P Gomes
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua Do Arco da Traição, 3000-056, Coimbra, Portugal.
- Carrera de Antropologia, University of Concepción, Barrio Universitário S/N, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Lidia Catarino
- Geosciences Center, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua Sílvio Lima - Pólo II, 3030-790, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Luisa Santos
- Research Centre for Anthropology and Health (CIAS), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Rua Do Arco da Traição, 3000-056, Coimbra, Portugal
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Brickley MB. Perspectives on anemia: Factors confounding understanding of past occurrence. Int J Paleopathol 2024; 44:90-104. [PMID: 38181478 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2023.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This paper reviews factors confounding the understanding of the past occurrence of anemia. Using the evidence gathered, a framework is presented of ways forward to enable greater confidence in diagnosing acquired anemia in paleopathology, facilitating insights into longer-term perspectives on this globally relevant condition. RESULTS To date, porotic lesions have been central to paleopathological investigations of anemia. The fact that porotic bone lesions are omnipresent and have multiple causes but are likely to have a relatively low, age-related frequency in individuals with anemia, a condition that will have been common in past communities, is confounding. METHODS Establishing frameworks that move away from porotic lesions is proposed to facilitate higher levels of more accurate anemia diagnoses in paleopathology. SIGNIFICANCE Acceptance of the fundamental principle that anemia may be better considered as a condition requiring metric evaluation of bone structures, supplemented by careful consideration of lesions, will advance understanding of acquired anemia in past communities. Such an approach would provide a clear basis for further consideration of congenital conditions causing anemia, such as sickle-cell disease and thalassemia. LIMITATIONS This paper simply opens the conversation on the better diagnosis of anemia in paleopathology; it starts the iterative process of achieving some consensus and progress on diagnosing anemia in paleopathology. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Engagement with ideas presented, sharing data and development of metric parameters will assist in identifying the effects of marrow hyperplasia on bone, enabling more robust work on the important topic of anemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan B Brickley
- McMaster University, Department of Anthropology, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L9, Canada.
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DeWitte SN. Medieval monastic health: Variation in skeletal signs of inflammation and developmental stress between religious orders in London. Am J Hum Biol 2024:e24052. [PMID: 38351667 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.24052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/16/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Previous bioarchaeological analyses of medieval monastic and nonmonastic cemeteries in London revealed evidence of lower risks of mortality, and thus better health, in the monastic settings. However, comparison of the two monastic communities, Bermondsey Abbey and Merton Priory, which adhered to different religious ideals, suggested lower risks of mortality in the former. This study examines patterns of skeletal biomarkers, which reflect developmental stress or inflammation, in an attempt to clarify the possible underlying mechanisms producing apparent health differences in these monastic communities. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study uses skeletal data on age-at-death, periosteal new bone formation (PNBF), and cribra orbitalia from 558 adults (18 years of age and older) estimated to be male from Bermondsey Abbey and Merton Priory. Biomarker age patterns are assessed via Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and binary logistic regression. Differences in frequencies of biomarkers between the monastic sites are evaluated using Chi-square and hierarchical log-linear analyses. RESULTS In general, PNBF is positively associated with age, and cribra orbitalia is negatively associated with age. The frequency of PNBF formation is significantly higher and that of cribra orbitalia is significantly lower in Bermondsey Abbey compared with Merton Priory. CONCLUSIONS The differences in frequencies of these skeletal biomarkers support previous findings suggesting that health conditions were better in Bermondsey Abbey than in Merton Priory. The age patterns of cribra orbitalia suggest that these differences reflect conditions and the greater health-promoting effects of religiosity or isolation from the lay community in Bermondsey Abbey rather than differences in selective admissions processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon N DeWitte
- Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, USA
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Cox SL, Nicklisch N, Francken M, Wahl J, Meller H, Haak W, Alt KW, Rosenstock E, Mathieson I. Socio-cultural practices may have affected sex differences in stature in Early Neolithic Europe. Nat Hum Behav 2024; 8:243-255. [PMID: 38081999 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-023-01756-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
The rules and structure of human culture impact health as much as genetics or environment. To study these relationships, we combine ancient DNA (n = 230), skeletal metrics (n = 391), palaeopathology (n = 606) and dietary stable isotopes (n = 873) to analyse stature variation in Early Neolithic Europeans from North Central, South Central, Balkan and Mediterranean regions. In North Central Europe, stable isotopes and linear enamel hypoplasias indicate high environmental stress across sexes, but female stature is low, despite polygenic scores identical to males, and suggests that cultural factors preferentially supported male recovery from stress. In Mediterranean populations, sexual dimorphism is reduced, indicating male vulnerability to stress and no strong cultural preference for males. Our analysis indicates that biological effects of sex-specific inequities can be linked to cultural influences at least as early as 7,000 yr ago, and culture, more than environment or genetics, drove height disparities in Early Neolithic Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Cox
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
- Physical Anthropology Section, Penn Museum, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Nicole Nicklisch
- Center of Natural and Cultural Human History, Danube Private University, Krems-Stein, Austria
| | - Michael Francken
- State Office for Cultural Heritage Management Baden-Württemberg, Osteology, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Joachim Wahl
- Paleoanthropology Section, Institute of Archaeological Sciences, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Harald Meller
- State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt, State Museum of Prehistory, Halle, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Haak
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kurt W Alt
- Center of Natural and Cultural Human History, Danube Private University, Krems-Stein, Austria
| | - Eva Rosenstock
- Bonn Center for ArchaeoSciences, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Iain Mathieson
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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De Luca F, Pasini A, Scianò F, Zedda N, Guarnieri C, Masotti S, Bramanti B, Gualdi-Russo E, Rinaldo N. "Heal the sick": Health status and caregiving during the 17th-18th century in Northern Italy (St. Biagio cemetery, Ravenna). Am J Biol Anthropol 2024; 183:125-140. [PMID: 37830270 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The study of health-related care provision in archeology gives important indications on the culture and community organization of past populations. This study aims to assess the health status of the skeletal assemblage recovered from the burial site of St. Biagio (Ravenna, 17th-18th Centuries); next, we identified likely instances of need for and receipt of caregiving in response to the condition, to examine evidence of community attitudes toward disease and disability. MATERIALS AND METHODS The skeletal assemblage is composed of 133 individuals in a generally good state of preservation. Sex and age-at-death were estimated through classical anthropological methods. Health status was inferred through the biological index of frailty (BIF) and paleopathological analysis was performed through macroscopic and radiographic investigations. The "bioarcheology of care" approach was applied to individuals who showed evidence of impairment and disability. RESULTS The skeletal assemblage of St. Biagio was equally represented by males and females (50% males), with a higher percentage of adults (83.4%) than subadults (10.5%), and this is reflected in the high life expectancy at birth (40.3 years). No significant differences in health status emerged between age groups and sexes, with a generally high percentage of joint diseases, antemortem trauma, and infectious diseases. Evidence of care and compassion was found in some individuals with a high degree of impairment or disability, as in the case of probable Angelman syndrome. DISCUSSION This study provided important insights into the biological and social aspects of an Early Modern population in Northern Italy, showing that people with functional and/or visible abnormalities were probably cared for in life and were presumably considered full members of the society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica De Luca
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Alba Pasini
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Filippo Scianò
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- UOC Gastroenterologia, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Zedda
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Chiara Guarnieri
- Archaeological Heritage Office, Superintendence SABAP Bologna, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Ferrara, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sabrina Masotti
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Barbara Bramanti
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Emanuela Gualdi-Russo
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Natascia Rinaldo
- Department of Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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Zazvonilová E, Brzobohatá H, Frolík J, Velemínský P, Brůžek J. Using cementochronology to assess the seasonality of catastrophic events in medieval mass graves (Kutná Hora-Sedlec, Czechia, 14th century): Preliminary results. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0295757. [PMID: 38091327 PMCID: PMC10718420 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
While season-of-death estimation using cementochronology is routine in archaeozoology, its use is much less frequent in bioarchaeology. Based on the character of the outermost increment (bright or dark), two seasons (spring/summer, autumn/winter) can be distinguished. Although many studies mention its potential and possible use in forensic anthropology or bioarchaeology, few exist with estimation results. This study aimed to apply cementochronology-a histological method based on counting and assessing regular circa-annual acellular cementum increments-to 42 individuals from medieval mass graves from Kutná Hora-Sedlec (Czechia, 14th century) to estimate the season-of-death. The mass graves belong to two stratigraphically distinct groups; written and archaeological sources relate them to two catastrophic events (the famine of 1318 and the plague epidemic of 1348-1350). Using cementochronology, we distinguished two distinct seasons corresponding to the two groups of graves, with individuals from the first group dying predominantly in spring/summer, while those from the second group died in autumn/winter. Taking into account the typical seasonal dynamics of epidemics, the results would be more in line with written sources. However, during the evaluation, we faced difficulties identifying the outermost increment and detecting the dark (thinner) increment; we recommend including only young and middle-aged adults in future studies, due to the difficulty of evaluation, and to consider the readability of the tissue (often affected by diagenesis). In conclusion, cementochronology has potential in the context of estimating the season-of-death, but the technical possibilities for enhancing the outermost increment need to be addressed, and the amount of data analysed expanded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliška Zazvonilová
- Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 1, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Charles University, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Brzobohatá
- Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Frolík
- Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Velemínský
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum, Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Brůžek
- Faculty of Science, Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Charles University, Prague 2, Czech Republic
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Dutour O. The paleopathology and paleoepidemiology of Upper paleolithic tuberculosis: Review of evidence and hypotheses. Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2023; 143S:102348. [PMID: 38012915 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2023.102348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Molecular phylogeny work has shown that tuberculosis is ancient human-adapted infection predating the Neolithic period. They also show that the Upper Paleolithic is a key period of emergence of the MTB complex strains, contemporary with the exit of modern man from Africa. Despite the richness of Upper Paleolithic sites in Eurasia and the relative abundance of human remains, the only proven case of Paleolithic tuberculosis has been described so far date from the Azilian, a culture of the European Final Paleolithic, which is more recent than the ancient Neolithic sites of the Near East, area that currently hold the record for the oldest paleopathological evidence of tuberculosis. The purpose of this review is to present evidence for the existence of tuberculosis in the Paleolithic and to list hypotheses explaining the weak demonstrative contribution of paleopathology for pre-Neolithic periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Dutour
- Ecole Pratique des Haute Etudes, PSL University Paris, France; UMR 5199 PACEA (Université de Bordeaux-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), France.
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Wyatt B, McFadden C, Ward S, Wilson LAB. Assessing the association of skeletal indicators of stress with mean age-at-death in sub-adults. Am J Biol Anthropol 2023; 182:440-451. [PMID: 37610235 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The present study investigated the association of skeletal indicator of stress presence with mean age-at-death as a means of understanding whether commonly studied indicators are indeed indicative of increased frailty. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using a medieval Gaelic population from Ballyhanna (Co. Donegal), the present study assessed the association between skeletal indicators of stress and mean age-at-death using the Kaplan-Meier survival function with log rank test to determine whether these indicators were associated with younger age-at-death, and therefore increased frailty, in sub-adults only (0 to 18 years, N = 139) and through comparison to an all-ages cohort (N = 318). RESULTS Only linear enamel hypoplasia was found to be associated with significantly decreased survivorship across the all-ages cohort but, conversely, was associated with increased survivorship when analysis was restricted to sub-adults. All other indicators assessed were associated with increased age-at-death for both all-age cohorts and sub-adult cohorts (cribra orbitalia), increased age-at-death when assessing all ages only (porotic hyperostosis and healed periosteal lesions); or were sufficiently rare in adults to prevent comparative analysis (stunting and micronutrient deficiency). Increased survivorship in individuals with higher numbers of co-morbid skeletal indicators was observed for both sub-adults alone and all age cohort. DISCUSSION These findings suggest that these commonly recorded skeletal indicators may be more accurately viewed simply as records of stressor exposure and subsequent survival only, rather than providing evidence that these sub-adults are frailer than their similarly aged-at-death peers. Thus, the demographic and sociocultural context is essential to the interpretation of observed skeletal indicators of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwyn Wyatt
- School of Anthropology and Archaeology, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Clare McFadden
- School of Anthropology and Archaeology, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Stacey Ward
- School of Anthropology and Archaeology, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Laura A B Wilson
- School of Anthropology and Archaeology, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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O'Donnell L, Buikstra JE, Hill EC, Anderson AS, O'Donnell MJ. Skeletal manifestations of disease experience: Length of illness and porous cranial lesion formation in a contemporary juvenile mortality sample. Am J Hum Biol 2023; 35:e23896. [PMID: 36974669 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Porous lesions of the orbit (cribra orbitalia [CO]) and cranial vault (porotic hyperostosis [PH]) are used as skeletal indicators of childhood stress. Because they are understudied in contemporary populations, their relationship to disease experience is poorly understood. This paper examines the relationship between length of childhood illness and CO/PH formation in a clinically documented sample. "Turning points," which identify the window for lesion formation for CO/PH, are defined, implications for hidden heterogeneity in frailty are considered. METHODS Data are from 333 (199 males; 134 females) pediatric postmortem computed tomography scans. Individuals died in New Mexico (2011-2019) and are 0.5 to 15.99 years (mean = 7.1). Length of illness was estimated using information from autopsy and field reports. Logistic regression was used to estimate predicted probabilities, odds ratios, and the temporal window for lesion formation. RESULTS Illness, single bouts, or cumulative episodes lasting over 1 month is associated with higher odds of CO; individuals who were never sick have lower odds of having PH. This relationship was consistent for fatal and incidental illnesses that did not cause death. The developmental window for CO formation appears to close at 8 years. CONCLUSIONS Those ill for over 1 month are more likely to have CO/PH than those with acute illnesses. Some individuals lived sufficiently long to form CO/PH but died of illness. Others with lesions died of circumstances unrelated to disease. This indicates hidden variation in robusticity even among ill individuals with CO/PH, which is vital in interpreting lesion frequencies in the archeological record.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lexi O'Donnell
- College of Population Health, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jane E Buikstra
- Center for Bioarchaeological Research, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Ethan C Hill
- Division of Physical Therapy, Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Amy S Anderson
- Department of Anthropology, University of California - Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Michael J O'Donnell
- Bureau of Business & Economic Research, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Biehler-Gomez L, Palamenghi A, Baudu M, Caccia G, Lanza Attisano G, Gibelli D, Mazzarelli D, Cattaneo C. Skeletal Markers of Physiological Stress as Indicators of Structural Violence: A Comparative Study between the Deceased Migrants of the Mediterranean Sea and the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. Biology (Basel) 2023; 12. [PMID: 36829611 DOI: 10.3390/biology12020335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
Structural violence is an indirect form of violence that can lead to physiological consequences. Interestingly, these physiological disruptions may affect the skeletons and can therefore provide relevant information on violence and way of life in the analysis of skeletal remains. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that migrants who died in the Mediterranean Sea would present physiological cranial stress markers such as cribra orbitalia (CO), porotic hyperostosis (PH), and linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) more frequently and more severely than Italians of the 20th century. With this intent, a total of 164 crania were examined: 139 from deceased migrants recovered from a shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea in 2015, aged between 16 and 35 years old, and 25 of the same age from the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection. Both presence and severity of CO, PH, and LEH were evaluated. The data obtained were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank and independence Chi-squared tests to compare the results between the two samples and to test whether there was an association between the sample of migrants and the occurrence of lesions. As a result, CO and PH appeared more frequently and more severely in the migrant sample. In addition, migrants were significantly associated with CO, PH, and LEH (p-values < 0.05). Although this does not imply in any way that CO, PH, and LEH are specific to migration, they should be regarded as indicators of structural violence.
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Gruenthal-Rankin A, Somogyi T, Roome A, DiGangi EA. Beyond the report: Prospects and challenges in forensic anthropological investigations of structural vulnerability. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2023; 6:100315. [PMID: 36793704 PMCID: PMC9923155 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Forensic anthropologists are increasingly interested in accounting for embodied marginalization in addition to the biological profile. A structural vulnerability framework, which assesses biomarkers of social marginalization in individuals within forensic casework, is worthwhile but its application must be informed by ethical, interdisciplinary perspectives that reject categorizing suffering within the pages of a case report. Drawing from anthropological perspectives, we explore prospects and challenges of evaluating embodied experience in forensic work. Particular attention is paid to how forensic practitioners and stakeholders utilize a structural vulnerability profile within and beyond the written report. We argue that any investigation of forensic vulnerability must: (1) integrate rich contextual data, (2) be evaluated for potential to perpetuate harm, and (3) serve the needs of a diverse array of stakeholders. We call for a community-oriented forensic practice, wherein anthropologists may act as advocates for policy change to disrupt power structures driving vulnerability trends in their region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariel Gruenthal-Rankin
- Department of Anthropology, Division of Social Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi- West Oʻahu, HI, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
- Corresponding author. Department of Anthropology, Division of Social Sciences, University of Hawaiʻi- West Oʻahu, HI, USA.
| | - Tessa Somogyi
- Department of Anthropology, Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - Amanda Roome
- Northeast Center for Occupational Health and Safety, Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital, Cooperstown, NY, USA
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Schats R. Cribriotic lesions in archaeological human skeletal remains. Prevalence, co-occurrence, and association in medieval and early modern Netherlands. Int J Paleopathol 2021; 35:81-89. [PMID: 34757296 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This paper studies the prevalence, co-occurrence, and association of cribra orbitalia, cribra humeri, and cribra femora to contribute to the complex debate on cribriotic lesions and their relationship with one another. MATERIALS 179 adults and 53 non-adults from the medieval/early modern Netherlands (800-1600 CE) for whom all three lesions could be observed are included in this study. METHODS Presence or absence of cribriotic lesions was studied macroscopically. Prevalence, co-occurrence, and association of lesions and their link to sex and age-at-death were assessed. RESULTS A clear link between prevalence of the lesions and age-at-death is found. Co-occurrence and association of all three lesions is uncommon. There is a significant moderate correlation for cribra humeri-femora in non-adults. CONCLUSIONS Lesion prevalence is connected to age-at-death. However, while a similar age distribution and associations between pairs of lesions are noted, due to limited co-occurrence of the three lesions, the presence of a 'cribrous syndrome' cannot supported. SIGNIFICANCE This is the first study investigating the prevalence, co-occurrence and association of cribra orbitalia, cribra humeri, and cribra femora in non-adults and adults contributing to discussions about the nature and the much-debated aetiology of these commonly encountered skeletal lesions. LIMITATIONS The number of non-adults in this study is limited, potentially obscuring meaningful patterns, as the cribrous lesions are significantly more common in younger individuals. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH More research into the prevalence of the post-cranial lesions and their co-occurrence as well as into bone growth and remodelling is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Schats
- Leiden University, Faculty of Archaeology, Laboratory for Human Osteoarchaeology, Einsteinweg 2, 2333CC Leiden, The Netherlands.
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Zdilla MJ, Nestor NS, Rothschild BM, Lambert HW. Cribra orbitalia is correlated with the meningo-orbital foramen and is vascular and developmental in nature. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:1629-1671. [PMID: 34741429 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Cribra orbitalia is a phenomenon with interdisciplinary interest. However, the etiology of cribra orbitalia remains unclear. Recently, the appearance of cribra orbitalia was identified as vascular in nature. This study assessed the relationship between anatomical variation of vasculature, as determined by the presence of meningo-orbital foramina, and the presence of cribra orbitalia in 178 orbits. Cribra orbitalia was identified in 27.5% (49:178) of orbits (22.7%, 35:154 adult orbits and 58.3%, 14:24 subadult orbits) and meningo-orbital foramina were identified in 65.8% (100:152) of orbits. Among the 150 total intact adult orbits (i.e., orbital roof and posterior orbits both intact), cribra orbitalia was found in 35 (23.3%). Of these 35 occurrences of cribra orbitalia, 32 (91.4%) had the concurrent finding of a meningo-orbital foramen. However, in the absence of the meningo-orbital foramen, cribra orbitalia was only found in three sides out of the total sample of intact orbits (3:150; 2.0%). Fisher's exact test revealed that the presence of cribra orbitalia and the meningo-orbital foramen were statistically dependent variables (p = .0002). Visual evidence corroborated statistical findings-vascular impressions joined cribra orbitalia to meningo-orbital foramina. This study identifies that individuals who possess a meningo-orbital foramen are anatomically predisposed to developing cribra orbitalia. Conversely, cribra orbitalia is unlikely to occur in an individual who does not possess a meningo-orbital foramen. Thus, the antecedent of cribra orbitalia is both vascular and developmental in nature. This report represents an important advancement in the understanding of cribra orbitalia-there is an anatomical predisposition to the development of cribra orbitalia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Zdilla
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Laboratory Medicine (PALM), West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Nicholas S Nestor
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Laboratory Medicine (PALM), West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | | | - H Wayne Lambert
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Laboratory Medicine (PALM), West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
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McCool WC, Anderson AS, Kennett DJ. Using a multimethod life history approach to navigate the osteological paradox: A case study from Prehispanic Nasca, Peru. Am J Phys Anthropol 2021; 175:816-833. [PMID: 33782949 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We leverage recent bioarchaeological approaches and life history theory to address the implications of the osteological paradox in a study population. The goal of this article is to evaluate morbidity and mortality patterns as well as variability in the risk of disease and death during the Late Intermediate period (LIP; 950-1450 C.E.) in the Nasca highlands of Peru. We demonstrate how the concurrent use of multiple analytical techniques and life history theory can engage the osteological paradox and provide salient insights into the study of stress, frailty, and resilience in past populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS Crania from LIP burial contexts in the Nasca highlands were examined for cribra orbitalia (n = 325) and porotic hyperostosis (n = 270). All age groups and both sexes are represented in the sample. Survivor/nonsurvivor analysis assessed demographic differences in lesion frequency and severity. Hazard models were generated to assess differences in survivorship. The relationship between dietary diversity and heterogeneity in morbidity was assessed using stable δ15 N and δ13 C isotope values for bone collagen and carbonate. One hundred and twenty-four crania were directly AMS radiocarbon dated, allowing for a diachronic analysis of morbidity and mortality. RESULTS The frequency and expression of both orbital and vault lesions increases significantly during the LIP. Survivor/nonsurvivor analysis indicates cranial lesions co-vary with frailty rather than robusticity or longevity. Hazard models show (1) decreasing survivorship with the transition into the LIP, (2) significantly lower adult life expectancy for females compared to males, and (3) individuals with cranial lesions have lower survivorship across the life course. Stable isotope results show very little dietary diversity. Mortality risk and frequency of pathological skeletal lesions were highest during Phase III (1300-1450 C.E.) of the LIP. CONCLUSION Results provide compelling evidence of increasing physiological stress and mortality in the Nasca highlands during the LIP, but also reveal substantial heterogeneity in frailty and the risk of death. Certain members of society experienced a heavier disease burden and higher mortality compared to their contemporaries. Elevated levels of disease and lethal trauma among females account for some of the sex differences in survivorship but cannot explain the large degree of female-biased mortality. We hypothesize that parental investment in males or increased female fertility rates may explain these differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weston C McCool
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Amy S Anderson
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
| | - Douglas J Kennett
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, USA
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