Kinship practices at the early bronze age site of Leubingen in Central Germany

With the beginning of the Early Bronze Age in Central Europe ~ 2200 BC, a regional and supra-regional hierarchical social organization emerged with few individuals in positions of power (chiefs), set apart by rich graves with extensive burial constructions. However, the social organization and stratification within the majority of people, who represent the non-elite, remain unclear. Here, we present genome-wide data of 46 individuals from the Early Bronze Age burial ground of Leubingen in today's Germany, integrating archaeological, genetic and strontium isotope data to gain new insights into Early Bronze Age societies. We were able to reconstruct five pedigrees which constitute the members of close biological kinship groups (parents and their offspring), and also identify individuals who are not related to individuals buried at the site. Based on combined lines of evidence, we observe that the kinship structure of the burial community was predominantly patrilineal/virilocal involving female exogamy. Further, we detect a difference in the amount of grave goods among the individuals buried at Leubingen based on genetic sex, age at death and locality but see no difference in the types of grave goods.

Stable population structure in Europe since the Iron Age, despite high mobility

Ancient DNA research in the past decade has revealed that European population structure changed dramatically in the prehistoric period (14,000-3000 years before present, YBP), reflecting the widespread introduction of Neolithic farmer and Bronze Age Steppe ancestries. However, little is known about how population structure changed from the historical period onward (3000 YBP - present). To address this, we collected whole genomes from 204 individuals from Europe and the Mediterranean, many of which are the first historical period genomes from their region (e.g. Armenia and France). We found that most regions show remarkable inter-individual heterogeneity. At least 7% of historical individuals carry ancestry uncommon in the region where they were sampled, some indicating cross-Mediterranean contacts. Despite this high level of mobility, overall population structure across western Eurasia is relatively stable through the historical period up to the present, mirroring geography. We show that, under standard population genetics models with local panmixia, the observed level of dispersal would lead to a collapse of population structure. Persistent population structure thus suggests a lower effective migration rate than indicated by the observed dispersal. We hypothesize that this phenomenon can be explained by extensive transient dispersal arising from drastically improved transportation networks and the Roman Empire's mobilization of people for trade, labor, and military. This work highlights the utility of ancient DNA in elucidating finer scale human population dynamics in recent history.

Scurvy, anaemia, and rickets under the microscope - Light-microscopy supported investigation of malnutrition in subadult skeletal remains from the medieval central mountain village of Winnefeld (Lower Saxony, Germany)

In the hilly region of Solling in Central Germany, a large number of abandoned medieval settlements is known. In an excavation project of a church ruin and cemetery of the abandoned village Winnefeld from the 12th to 14th century CE, 165 individuals were excavated and anthropologically examined, including a light microscopic investigation. Among these individuals, 105 subadults were identified, from the age-at-death of pre-natal (stillborn) infants, up to juveniles, with the large majority of infants up to two years of age-at-death. Among the subadults, scurvy was frequently diagnosed. In more than 30% of the individuals, evidence or at least hints towards the diagnosis of scurvy were observed. Anaemia and rickets were less frequent (about 6% and 7%), however, still common. The light microscopic investigation, conducted as series standard, proved itself as a useful additional method in distinguishing vestiges of different illnesses, especially in non-extreme, questionable cases. Sometimes, however, it even resulted in a change of diagnosis of formerly supposed "clear" cases.

Ten millennia of hepatitis B virus evolution

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Madelung-type deformity in a female individual from the Merovingian Period in Central Germany: A rare finding or a rare disease?

OBJECTIVE

This paper presents a probable case of Madelung-type deformity of the right lower arm in an individual from the Merovingian burial ground (7th and 8 th century CE) from Gotha-Boilstädt (Germany).

MATERIALS

A female individual with an age-at-death of 40-50 years was investigated.

METHODS

Macroscopic, osteometric and radiographic analyses were performed using standard methods.

RESULTS

The individual exhibits an unusual case of dysmelia of the right upper extremity. The shoulder and upper arm displayed gracile muscle attachment marks and less robustness compared to the left side. The ulna was shortened and distorted and the radius was severely deformed.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that the individual might have been affected by a unilateral Madelung-type deformity. The severity of this case is greater than that reported in the clinical literature.

SIGNIFICANCE

This study places an ancient rare disease into archaeological and paleopathological contexts, allowing for the evaluation of the term "ancient rare disease." It also highlights the importance of reporting rigorously diagnosed cases in order to raise our level of awareness of the incidence and course of this rare condition in the past.

LIMITATIONS

The diagnosis cannot be stated with certainty, and only a handful of possible diagnoses can be offered. Congenital and acquired etiologies must be considered, especially when compared with clinical cases where severity of conditions may be modified by medical intervention.

SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

Genetic analysis might be helpful in the determination of the etiology of the observed Madelung-type deformity.

Palaeopathological investigations of cremated human remains - Methodological and comparative study on the example of traces of pathological conditions in the skull

This paper presents results of palaeopathological investigations carried out on a total of 133 cremation burials from the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman Imperial Period from Germany, the Czech and the Slovak Republics and Turkey. With the fragments of the 118 skulls in total, the aim was to document, diagnose and examine pathological conditions as completely and extensively as possible. These were investigated macromorphologically and then further examined radiologically, scanning electron microscopically and light microscopically in order to create a methodological basis for the determination of the effects of cremation on pathological vestiges on the bones and the extent to which the intra vitam processes involved in the cremation remain detectable. The investigation provided a number of different diagnoses of different types of pathological processes in all areas of the skull. Thus, with the support of light microscopy, haemorrhagic or inflammatory changes on the internal or external lamina of the skull vault were detected, traces of inflammation in the paranasal sinuses, as well as, a whole spectrum of dental pathologies. In approximately every tenth skull from the investigated cremation burials, at least one or several pathological conditions was observed. It should be noted that these results cannot be compared with the frequencies and diagnostic possibilities in inhumations and such use would be methodologically unjustifiable. Nevertheless, supported by modern methods, it is a significant extension of the range of anthropological research on cremated human remains and the methodology in their examination.

Probable vestiges of metabolic diseases in Roman Imperial cremations from Northern Germany

In 2011, a cremation burial ground from the Roman Imperial Period (2nd - 3rd century CE) was detected at the site of Gessel (district of Diepholz) in Northern Germany. The anthropological investigation of 21 cremations from this burial ground revealed a total of 22 individuals: 10 adults of both sexes and 12 children of less than 7 years. All cremations were obviously carried out at high temperatures above 750 °C. Most of them were very well and representatively preserved, and not too fragmented. This excellent state of preservation offered us a unique chance to diagnose a variety of pathological conditions. In six cremations of subadult individuals, possible vestiges of metabolic diseases were observed. Evidence of traits such as cribra orbitalia and porotic hyperostosis, as well as porous ventral surfaces of the femoral neck and the vertebral bodies was established in the cremations of five subadult individuals. Light microscopically, these traits could be identified as having resulted from bone marrow expansion, indicating anaemia as the probable cause. In two individuals, a layer-like structure of the skull vault was observed, which is often connected to rickets. Furthermore, in three subadult individuals demonstrating anaemic features of marrow expansion, additionally, fine porous new bone formations due to haemorrhages were observed in areas of mechanical load or mastication, possibly indicating scurvy. Against the background of the temporal and geographical context, different factors such as nutritional deficiencies, intestinal parasite or malaria infestations must be considered as possibly causative for the distinct skeletal vestiges of metabolic diseases. Furthermore, a connection between the three pathological conditions seems likely.

Serious chronic disease of the cervical spine and trauma in a young female from the middle ages (Czech Republic)

The skeletal remains of the young female (20-24 years) from Grave JP/106, discovered in the Southern Suburb of the Břeclav - Pohansko Stronghold (Early Middle Ages, 9th century-beginning of the 10^th century, present day Czech Republic) display several noteworthy pathologies. The first is deformation of the mandible, which was most probably caused by a fracture of the ramus in combination with a subcondylar fracture. The spine of this young woman also exhibits a probable traumatic injury of the cervical spine in combination with a slowly growing structure situated inside the spinal canal, which caused deformation centered upon C7. The cervical and thoracic spine together with internal surfaces of several ribs exhibit infectious changes of advanced stage, in all likelihood of tuberculous origin, but osteomyelitis cannot be excluded. Histological analysis of the new bone formation in the ribs confirmed infectious origin, as does Micro CT of C5 and C6. Analyses conducted by two different departments with different methods (PCR amplification of 123 bp long section from IS6110 and Next Generation shotgun sequencing) failed to identify DNA of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the first rib.