Research Interests: Pathology, Geography, Archaeology, Geology, Anthropology, and 14 moreBiological Anthropology, Paleopathology, Skeletal muscle biology, Gait Biomechanics, Osteology, Physical Anthropology, Osteoarchaeology, Musculoskeletal Biomechanics, Human Osteology, Variability, Forefoot, Calcaneus, PHALANX, and Populational Studies
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The analysis of burned remains is a highly complex process, and a better insight can be gained with advanced technologies. The main goal of this paper is to apply X-ray diffraction, partially supported by infrared attenuated total... more
The analysis of burned remains is a highly complex process, and a better insight can be gained with advanced technologies. The main goal of this paper is to apply X-ray diffraction, partially supported by infrared attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy to determine changes in burned human bones and teeth in terms of mineral phase transformations. Samples of 36 bones and 12 teeth were heated at 1050°C and afterwards subjected to XRD and ATR-IR. The crystallinity index was calculated for every sample. A quantitative evaluation of phases was documented by using the Rietveld approach. In addition to bioapatite, the following mineralogical phases were found in the bone: β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) (Ca3(PO4)2), lime (CaO), portlandite (Ca(OH)2), calcite (CaCO3), and buchwaldite (NaCaPO4). In the case of bone, besides bioapatite, only the first two mineralogical phases and magnesium oxide were present. We also observed that the formation of β-TCP affects the phosphate peaks used for ...
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Current paleodietary studies about the Naviform and Talayotic groups that took place in Minorca (Balearic Islands) during the Late Bronze Age–Early Iron Age (ca.1600–850/800 BC) have suggested a mixed and variable diet, largely depending... more
Current paleodietary studies about the Naviform and Talayotic groups that took place in Minorca (Balearic Islands) during the Late Bronze Age–Early Iron Age (ca.1600–850/800 BC) have suggested a mixed and variable diet, largely depending on terrestrial sources of vegetables and meat. This study explores the nutritional pattern of the individuals buried in the Cova des Pas site (Minorca Island, Spain), a cave used as a collective sepulcher and the most exceptional and major human assemblage found in the Balearic Islands during this period. Carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopic signatures were measured on extracted bone collagen from 49 individuals. Further, faunal remains from the Son Mercer de Baix site, the closest contemporaneous village to the collective sepulcher, were also analyzed to provide a baseline corpus of data to interpret human isotopic data. The results indicate a human diet based mainly on C3plants with an important consumption of animal protein. The δ15N...
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The aim of this study was to analyze the infant burials found inside Iberian homes in relation to a possible case of sex selection. The study included the remains of 11 infant individuals buried under the 10 houses excavated in the late... more
The aim of this study was to analyze the infant burials found inside Iberian homes in relation to a possible case of sex selection. The study included the remains of 11 infant individuals buried under the 10 houses excavated in the late Iberian village of Camp de les Lloses (Tona, Barcelona, Spain). Sex was determined using genetic analysis. Our results showed that almost all the burials were females. However, the age interval of death was wide enough to weaken the premise of infanticide, and the burials probably represent cases of natural death. Infanticide in its different forms has long been argued as an explanation for the infant remains found throughout various burial sites. Many authors thought that infanticide, mainly femicide, was the main method of population control in ancient times. However, there is no anthropological evidence (age distribution and sex analyzed genetically) to support the intentional killing of females in this or in other cases. We hypothesized that there was a positive selection for females to be buried inside the houses, probably related to their benefactor roles.
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The study aims to reconstruct the demography and health of the individuals that lived during the medieval period in the northern coast of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). The skeletal remains, unearthed during the archeological... more
The study aims to reconstruct the demography and health of the individuals that lived during the medieval period in the northern coast of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). The skeletal remains, unearthed during the archeological excavations conducted between 1980 and 1988, came from the Can Reiners necropolis overlaying the forum of the Roman city of Pollentia. The minimum number of the individuals analysed in this work is 216: 64% are adults and 36% are sub-adults. The high mortality and the low life expectancy is consistent with the expected values for ancient populations such as this one. The peak of mortality for the sub-adult phase is between the second and the fourth year of life, which could be related with weaning. For the adults, the highest peak is between the 35 and the 40 years of age. These demographic data along with the low frequencies of agerelated pathologies suggest that the people in this population did not reach the senile age range as a consequence of hard life conditions. The estimated stature is compared with other European populations of different periods. The results show that the mean male stature is consistent with the values from other European medieval cemeteries, whereas the female values are generally lower in Can Reiners than in the comparative samples. In addition, we suggest that migration, among other factors, could play an important role in the fact that females and sub-adults are underrepresented in this population.
Research Interests: Ancient History, Demography, Archaeology, Paleoanthropology, Medieval History, and 15 moreBioarchaeology, Historical Demography, Skeletal Biology, Paleopathology, Medieval Archaeology, Physical Anthropology, Osteoarchaeology, History of the Mediterranean, Mortality, Mediterranean archaeology, Medieval Spain, Human Osteology, Archaeology of death and burial, Death and Burial Archaeology, and Burial Practices Archaeology
Dental calculus, or calcified plaque, is a potential source of archaeological information relating to the lives of past societies. The recovery and identification of organic micro‐remains entrapped within dental calculus provide new data... more
Dental calculus, or calcified plaque, is a potential source of archaeological information relating to the lives of past societies. The recovery and identification of organic micro‐remains entrapped within dental calculus provide new data regarding diet, health and lifestyle. This paper presents, for the first time, microscopic evidence of the sporangium annulus of a fern within the dental calculus of an adult male from the medieval necropolis of Can Reiners (Balearic Islands, Spain). The sporangium evidence was compared with modern sporangia collected in northern Mallorca and the Iberian Peninsula. The results revealed that the features of the Can Reiners sporangium sample were compatible with the species Asplenium trichomanes. Through a historical and modern botanical literature review, it is known that this species has been widely regarded as a cure for kidney stones and alopecia. Moreover, this species was used as an expectorant, diuretic, and emmenagogue (herb which provokes menstruation or abortion). Considering that sporangia are attached to leaves and when they are mature only spores are released in the air, the presence of the annulus within dental calculus provides direct evidence of the consumption of ferns by the population living in the Balearic Islands during the Middle Ages. Since the use of these plants as constituents of diet is not attested, we may suggest that they could be employed as medicinal plants.
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This study aims to improve a previous study that reported new traits to characterize a perimortem fracture pattern in human long bones. This second study aims to acquire further knowledge about these perimortem traits, specifically by... more
This study aims to improve a previous study that reported new traits to characterize a perimortem fracture pattern in human long bones. This second study aims to acquire further knowledge about these perimortem traits, specifically by improving the experimental setting-by using a Blunt Force Trauma Simulator-and increasing the sample size with a total of 43 autopsy specimens and 57 reproduced fractures. Additionally, we investigated whether these traits could be related to muscular contractions by adding axial compression in the experimentally fractured specimens. If intra vitam traits can be found, it would consequentially be more valuable for forensic anthropologists to shorten the perimortem period. We demonstrate that all traits are perimortem traits. Furthermore, based on our results, we see the tendency that the combination of traits-instead of the presence of each trait individually-may make it possible to distinguish intra vitam from perimortem fractures. This study confirms...
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Enchondromas occur with an estimated modern incidence rate of 27.7% of benign bone tumors (Hauben and Hogendoorn, 2010), but few are represented in the paleopathological record. The medieval site of St. Pere in Spain has produced a... more
Enchondromas occur with an estimated modern incidence rate of 27.7% of benign bone tumors (Hauben and Hogendoorn, 2010), but few are represented in the paleopathological record. The medieval site of St. Pere in Spain has produced a convincing case. The diagnosis was confirmed by X-Ray, CT-scan and μ-CT scan. Therefore UF 755 from St. Pere - a male of more than 60 years old - can be confirmed as a femoral case of enchondroma, supported by evidence, in the paleopathological record.
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Literature on timing of rib trauma is scarce but remains challenging during forensic cases. This study analysed the macroscopic fracture patterns of perimortem rib fractures and compared them to experimentally reproduced rib fractures on... more
Literature on timing of rib trauma is scarce but remains challenging during forensic cases. This study analysed the macroscopic fracture patterns of perimortem rib fractures and compared them to experimentally reproduced rib fractures on fresh and dry ribs. Six distinctive macroscopic traits were found in ribs that might provide information about the timing of trauma, fracture mechanism and/or trauma circumstances. These traits are peels, folds, differential fracture edges, incomplete fractures, plastic deformation and longitudinal lines. Peels, folds and plastic deformation might provide information about trauma timing. Folds and different fracture edges might provide information about the fracture mechanism. Statistical analyses showed that longitudinal lines, folds and incomplete fractures might provide information about the trauma circumstances and that age might have an influence on the occurrence of complete fractures, longitudinal lines and peels (p ≤ 0.05). The new insights ...
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During the investigation of fresh bone fractures, it might be difficult to visualize all the fracture lines that could contribute to the interpretation of the biomechanics behind a fracture. To optimize the examination of the fracture,... more
During the investigation of fresh bone fractures, it might be difficult to visualize all the fracture lines that could contribute to the interpretation of the biomechanics behind a fracture. To optimize the examination of the fracture, the bones should first be defleshed to expose the osseous surface. To reveal small fracture lines more clearly, we developed two easy, fast, cheap and non-destructive methods to enhance fracture lines and bone defects by coloring the fracture lines with ink. One method consists of cooking the bone in ink, and the second method uses capillary action for ink penetration. We strongly recommend the use of the latter method with Talens® Black Indian Ink for the clearest results.
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The locomotor and manipulative abilities of australopithecines are highly debated in the paleoanthropological context. Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus sediba likely engaged in arboreal locomotion and, especially the... more
The locomotor and manipulative abilities of australopithecines are highly debated in the paleoanthropological context. Australopithecus afarensis and Australopithecus sediba likely engaged in arboreal locomotion and, especially the latter, in certain activities implying manipulation. Nevertheless, their degree of arboreality and the relevance of their manipulative skills remain unclear. Here we calculate the pronation efficiency of the forearm (Erot ) in these taxa to explore their arboreal and manipulative capabilities using a biomechanical approach. Three-dimensional humeral images and upper limb measurements of A.L. 288-1 (Au. afarensis) and MH2 (Au. sediba) were used to calculate Erot using a previously described biomechanical model. Maximal Erot in elbow flexion occurs in a rather supinated position of the forearm in Au. afarensis, similarly to Pan troglodytes. In elbow extension, maximal Erot in this fossil taxon occurs in the same forearm position as in Pongo spp. In Au. sediba the forearm positions where Erot is maximal are largely coincident with those for Hylobatidae. The pattern in Au. afarensis suggests relevant arboreal capabilities, which would include vertical climbing, although it is suggestive of poorer manipulative skills than in modern humans. The similarity between Au. sediba and Hylobatidae is difficult to interpret, but the differences between Au. sediba and Au. afarensis suggest that the capacity to rotate the forearm followed different evolutionary processes in these australopithecine species. Although functional inferences from the upper limb are complex, the observed differences between both taxa point to the existence of two distinct anatomical models.
Research Interests: Evolutionary Biology, Archaeology, Anthropology, Human Evolution, Locomotion, and 15 moreBone Mechanics, Physical Anthropology, Musculoskeletal Biomechanics, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Hominin evolution, Fossils, Female, Animals, Male, Biological evolution, Ecosystem, Long Bone Biomechanics, Hominidae, Biomechanical Phenomena, and Forearm
En el presente artículo se estudian las características genéticas de la población del yacimiento talayótico de la Cova des Pas, que revelan una importante endogamia a nivel de ADN mitocondrial. La comparación con otras series... more
En el presente artículo se estudian las características genéticas de la población del yacimiento talayótico de la Cova des Pas, que revelan una importante endogamia a nivel de ADN mitocondrial. La comparación con otras series contemporáneas de las Islas Baleares permite hipotetizar la existencia de grupos cerrados, con limitados linajes femeninos y necrópolis de difícil acceso, como esta. Tales comunidades contrastarían con otras más abiertas con un mayor intercambio de linajes femeninos situados en las zonas llanas centrales de Menorca.
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In ancient times, maternal mortality would occur frequently, particularly during labor. Evidence of dystocia resulting in the death of a pregnant woman is very infrequent in paleopathologic literature, with only a few cases being... more
In ancient times, maternal mortality would occur frequently, particularly during labor. Evidence of dystocia resulting in the death of a pregnant woman is very infrequent in paleopathologic literature, with only a few cases being demonstrated. In the early medieval site of Casserres, the skeleton of a young woman with a fetus in the pelvic region was found. Some abnormal findings of the maternal skeleton were evaluated, including a sacral anomaly, femoral head wound, the rare position of the lower left limb with the femoral head dislodged anteriorly and cephalad from the socket, and a fibular fracture. Examining the anomalies all together, a case of anterior hip dislocation related to a McRoberts-like maneuver performed during labor is a plausible explanation of the findings.
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Sexual estimation is fundamental to reconstruct the biological profile of individuals, but postdepositional factors can alter the resistance of the bones, thereby preventing accurate diagnosis especially when the skull and the pelvis are... more
Sexual estimation is fundamental to reconstruct the biological profile of individuals, but postdepositional factors can alter the resistance of the bones, thereby preventing accurate diagnosis especially when the skull and the pelvis are absent. Navicular bones are usually well preserved in archeological and forensic contexts and can a good alternative to discriminate sex. On the basis of these aspects, the present investigation analyzed the sexual dimorphism in 231 pairs of navicular bones from documented contemporary collections from Spain. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and binary logistic regressions were carried out in eight replicable linear measurements of the navicular bone. Each of the eight variables showed a significant sexual dimorphism in our sample. The ROC curve results indicate that at least five out of the eight variables used have high ability for sex diagnosis, among which the maximum length of the cuneiform surface (LMAXCUN) showed a better performance (area under the curve value=0.86). Moreover, we introduced regression equations with combination of measurements that correctly allocated the skeletons with 80% or greater accuracy. The equation with high allocation accuracy rate (83.4%) included a combination of the maximum height of the navicular (HMAX), maximum length of the cuneiform surface (LMAXCUN), and maximum length of the talar facet (LMAXTAL). The regression equations presented here are useful for the Western Mediterranean populations and offer better alternatives than formulas based on other population groups.
Research Interests: Anthropology, Forensic Anthropology, Forensic Science, Anthropometry, Metrics, and 15 moreMultidisciplinary, Anatomy, Humans, Human skeletal anatomy, Female, Male, Population Studies, ROC Curve, Aged, Middle Aged, Human Sexual Size Dimorphism Among Populations, Adult, ANATOMIA HUMANA, Anthropometric Data, and Logistic Models
Next generation sequencing technologies have opened new opportunities in forensic genetics. Here we assess the applicability and performance of the MiSeq FGx™ & ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit (Illumina) to the identification of... more
Next generation sequencing technologies have opened new opportunities in forensic genetics. Here we assess the applicability and performance of the MiSeq FGx™ & ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit (Illumina) to the identification of individuals from the mass graves of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The main limitations for individual identification are the low number of possible first-degree living relatives and the high levels of DNA degradation reported in previous studies. Massively parallel sequencing technologies enabling the analysis of hundreds of regions and prioritizing short length amplicons constitute a promising tool for this kind of approaches. In this study, we first explore the power of this new technology to detect first and second degree kinship given different scenarios of DNA degradation. Second, we specifically assess its performance in a set of low DNA input samples previously analyzed with capillary electrophoresis technologies. We conclude that this methodolo...
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ABSTRACT A series of graves belonging to the Phoenician period were investigated after the campaign excavation of 2007 in the Phoenician-Punic necropolis of Monte Sirai (Carbonia, Sardinia, Italy). One tomb in particular (labelled 252) is... more
ABSTRACT A series of graves belonging to the Phoenician period were investigated after the campaign excavation of 2007 in the Phoenician-Punic necropolis of Monte Sirai (Carbonia, Sardinia, Italy). One tomb in particular (labelled 252) is presented here because of its uniqueness. Tomb 252 contained the cremated remains of an individual, probably male, and comparison of the excavation records alongside reconstruction of the bone material itself makes clear that the individual was cremated in a prone position. It represents the first case of prone cremation reported in the literature. To investigate whether the temperature of the cremation was homogenous across the entire body, we have conducted a combined physical–chemical analysis using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared. Copyright
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Page 1. LA NECROPOLI TALAIOTICA DE S'ILLOT DES PORROS* JORDI HERNÁNDEZ GASH JOAN SANMARTÍ Departament de Prehistoria, Historia Antiga i Arqueologia. Universitat de Barcelona ASSUMPCIÓ MALGOSA ...
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To determine ancient population influences on ancient and current Balearic populations and to reconstruct their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene pool evolution. We analyzed 239 individuals belonging to five archaeological populations from... more
To determine ancient population influences on ancient and current Balearic populations and to reconstruct their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene pool evolution. We analyzed 239 individuals belonging to five archaeological populations from Majorca and Minorca, four dating to the transition between the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, and one Late Roman Majorcan population. Six additional individuals from Santa Teresa di Gallura from the Nuragic period were characterized and added to the existing samples from that culture to make comparisons with Talaiotic populations. We characterized the haplogroups of 138 individuals and obtained 69 sequences from mtDNA hypervariable region I. In the intra-island study, the apparent differences in social and funerary rites between two contiguous Majorcan necropolises were correlated with genetic characteristics. Also, the likely occurrence of consanguinity in a population with a very particular burial pattern was supported by genetic data. Despite the uniqueness of each necropolis, the global comparison of the five necropolises revealed no significant differences between them, or between ancient and modern populations from the islands. Ancient Balearics showed a similar mtDNA gene pool to Ancient Catalans, had a Near Eastern component, and showed continuity with European populations since at least the Bronze Age. We characterized five Balearic necropolises in the context of their geographic and cultural characteristics. The similarity between ancient Balearic and ancient Catalan gene pools reinforces their known historic interactions, while the lack of a consistent genetic continuity with Ancient Sardinians suggests that Talaiotic and Nuragic cultures arose in differentiated populations. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Research Interests: Pathology, Conservation, Methodology, Sex, Physical Anthropology, and 8 moreTaphonomy, Iron Age, DNA, Analysis, Bronze Age, Number, PACS, and Skeleton
This work describes the results of a survey on the Rhesus system carried out in the autochthonous population of Aran Valley, a small and rather isolated region on the Northern side of the Central Pyrenees. Also, a comparison is made with... more
This work describes the results of a survey on the Rhesus system carried out in the autochthonous population of Aran Valley, a small and rather isolated region on the Northern side of the Central Pyrenees. Also, a comparison is made with other geographically and historically related populations in order to discuss the data in terms of the historical origin of this population. The data obtained shows a good agreement between observed and expected values in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The Aranese population also reveals some peculiarities concerning some haplotypes. The comparison with European and non European Mediterranean populations shows a clear genetic distance from Basque populations, and a relative proximity with presumably Celtic ones.
Research Interests: Spain, Humans, Female, Male, Phenotype, and 5 moreEthnic Groups, Genotype, Genetic variation, alleles, and Gene frequency
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ABSTRACT In this study, we present a case of frontal sinusitis with exocranial fistulization in a specimen from the Chalcolithic-Bronze Age period. Tis is a rare complication of sinusitis, exceptional in paleopathological literature.
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Ipiutak (100BCE-500CE) and Tigara (1200 - 1700CE) are two populations from Point Hope, Alaska. As commonly observed in forager communities, it may be expected males and females to have been involved in markedly different daily activities.... more
Ipiutak (100BCE-500CE) and Tigara (1200 - 1700CE) are two populations from Point Hope, Alaska. As commonly observed in forager communities, it may be expected males and females to have been involved in markedly different daily activities. Nevertheless, activity-related sexual dimorphism in these populations has been scarcely studied. Using humeral diaphyseal cross-sectional properties and forearm rotational efficiency, which are activity-dependent characteristics, we aim to assess differences between sexes and discuss what activities could have triggered them. Our results suggest that in Ipiutak males and females did not differ meaningfully in their cross-sectional properties. Conversely, in Tigara males had a greater rigidity of the entire humeral diaphysis than females, which suggests the existence of greater relative activity levels and more physically demanding tasks, possibly related to hunting activities. Concerning the differences between sexes in the forearm rotational effic...