JOURNAL OF THE SERBIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 2023
Although the medieval necropoles of Rudine and Svetinja (Braničevo) were
excavated almost 40 year... more Although the medieval necropoles of Rudine and Svetinja (Braničevo) were excavated almost 40 years ago, an anthropological analysis was performed for the first time in 2017. As in the 1980s the importance of physical anthropology was still not fully recognized, physical anthropologists were few in number, and anthropological analyses were rarely carried out. It was common for the skeletal material to be reburied, therefore, we believe that this skeletal material was preserved only by chance. Although only a small part of the graves was found (two from Rudine and five from Svetinja), the results of the analysis show the presence of metabolic diseases, congenital deformation, traumatic injuries, and even interpersonal violence, which represent an important addition to archaeological and historical knowledge about life in medieval Serbia.
A child aged 5±1 years with abnormally developed mandibular incisors was discovered during the an... more A child aged 5±1 years with abnormally developed mandibular incisors was discovered during the analysis of a skeletal assemblage from the late medieval/early modern necropolis of Macael Viejo (c. 13th–16th, Almería, Spain). The mandibular right deciduous incisors (81 and 82) were found to have developed a rare abnormality – a fused crown and single root. The identification, descriptions, and differential diagnoses of the anomaly were performed using morphological analyses and radiographic means. This article aims to present a case of fusion of two adjacent primary teeth displayed by a non-adult and analyze the applications and the potential of microcomputed tomography (Micro-CT) in the analysis of tooth crown and root canal morphology in dental anomalies.
ABSTRACT During the excavation of the medieval church of Santo Domingo de Silos in Prádena (Madri... more ABSTRACT During the excavation of the medieval church of Santo Domingo de Silos in Prádena (Madrid, Spain), a necropolis with at least 245 individuals, buried between the 12th and 15th centuries, was discovered. Out of this number more than 50% were children. A full anthropological and paleopathological study of these individuals was performed. The paleopathological study was divided into infectious, circulatory, metabolic, degenerative and traumatic pathology. We have also analyzed the markers of occupational stress. The discovery of ossuary 36, with the remains of 49 adults and 6 children, was noteworthy; firstly, due to the low proportion of children compared to the rest of the necropolis (71 adults and 119 children). Secondly, it is the only tomb where we found signs of violence, such as intentional traumas and cuts, while in the rest of the necropolis the etiology of traumas seem accidental. And finally for the great number of bones with signs of infection. Considering the historical context of this cemetery (period of Reconquista in central Spain), there are several open hypotheses, such as the possible violent death of those individuals. Keywords: pathology, trauma, violence, Reconquista
espanolDurante la excavacion en el ano 2015 de la necropolis del yacimiento romano de Viminacium ... more espanolDurante la excavacion en el ano 2015 de la necropolis del yacimiento romano de Viminacium (Este de Serbia), los restos oseos humanos de una mujer joven, mostrando cambios patologicos visibles, se encontraron en la tumba G-5663, sondeo 478. La epifisis de ambos femures, tibias y radio derecho no mostraron ningun signo de fusion, aunque el tercer molar ya habia erupcionado, lo que podria llevar a la conclusion de que se produjo un retraso en el desarrollo. El examen macroscopico del esqueleto revelo cambios poroticos y nueva formacion osea visibles en todos los huesos largos y en el craneo, probablemente relacionados con el escorbuto (deficiencia de vitamina C) EnglishIn 2015, during the excavation of the necropolis of the Roman site Viminacium (eastern Serbia), dated to Late Antiquity, human skeletal remains of a young female, showing visible pathological changes, were found in grave G-5663, trench 478. Epiphyses of femurs, tibias and the right radius did not show any sign of ...
The purpose of this thesis is to gain an understanding of the daily lives of nuns from convents o... more The purpose of this thesis is to gain an understanding of the daily lives of nuns from convents on the Iberian Peninsula in modern time (16th – 20th century) by examining their skeletal remains. A study of female monastic communities does not mean just “filling the gap”, but expending and enriching the knowledge of the most crucial chapter of female history in Christianity. It is important to remember that nuns were the only women who were able to live an independent life and acquire education, which was denied even to the women of the highest class, and that some of the most significant female poets, writers, painters, philosophers, composers… spent their life behind convent walls. Also, it was the only community of women, run by women, where they were free to make their own decision on administration, to take care of documentation, and even more important - finances. For that reason, many historians and theoreticians see in nunneries the origin of feminism. Therefore, the idea of ...
Jesus Herrerin, Natasa Sarkic, Lucia Munoz Ugarte, Alvaro Izquierdo, Carmen Ibarzabal, Miram Saqq... more Jesus Herrerin, Natasa Sarkic, Lucia Munoz Ugarte, Alvaro Izquierdo, Carmen Ibarzabal, Miram Saqqa Durante de la excavacion en la Iglesia medieval de Santo Domingo de Silos en Pradena del Rincon (Madrid, Espana), se descubrio una necropolis con al menos 245 individuos enterrados entre los siglos XII y XV. De este numero mas de 50 % eran ninos. Se realizo un completo estudio antropologico (principales parametros antropometricos, caracteres metricos y discretos y variabilidad anatomica), y paleopatologico de los individuos. En la parte paleopatologica, se dividio el estudio en patologia de origen infeccioso, circulatorio, metabolico y degenerativo y traumatico . Tambien hemos analizado marcadores de estres ocupacional. Entre los restos de la necropolis, llama la atencion la tumba 36, un osario donde hemos encontrado restos de 49 adultos y 6 infantiles. En primer lugar por la poca proporcion de ninos en comparacion con el resto de la necropolis (71 adultos y 119 ninos). En segundo luga...
Background Hansen’s disease (leprosy), widespread in medieval Europe, is today mainly prevalent i... more Background Hansen’s disease (leprosy), widespread in medieval Europe, is today mainly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions with around 200,000 new cases reported annually. Despite its long history and appearance in historical records, its origins and past dissemination patterns are still widely unknown. Applying ancient DNA approaches to its major causative agent, Mycobacterium leprae, can significantly improve our understanding of the disease’s complex history. Previous studies have identified a high genetic continuity of the pathogen over the last 1500 years and the existence of at least four M. leprae lineages in some parts of Europe since the Early Medieval period. Results Here, we reconstructed 19 ancient M. leprae genomes to further investigate M. leprae’s genetic variation in Europe, with a dedicated focus on bacterial genomes from previously unstudied regions (Belarus, Iberia, Russia, Scotland), from multiple sites in a single region (Cambridgeshire, England), and f...
LIFE AND DEATH IN MEDIAEVAL AND EARLY MODERN TIMES, 2020
The renovation of the church of St. Domingo de Silos in the town of Prádena del Rincón (Madrid), ... more The renovation of the church of St. Domingo de Silos in the town of Prádena del Rincón (Madrid), carried out between 2010 and 2012, brought to light an unusual discovery – immured and decapitated statues of saints together with a pile of human bones. The sculptures were carved in wood and dated to the first half of the 14th century according to experts. Two of them were identified as the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist. The third one may be St. Domingo de Silos or St. Thomas. An anthropological analysis of the bones revealed that at least 12 individuals were buried there. Of that number, 7 were adults, 4 infants and 1 new-born. Pathological changes of the bones indicated poor dental health, non-specific stress indicators and traumas. Immurement, as a method of execution, existed in various epochs. However, in the case of the remains from the church of St. Domingo, the position of the bones pointed out that it was the secondary burial. However, it is very strange that the bones were buried in such an unusual place, knowing that a necropolis was located nearby. Possible reasons for that will be discussed in this article.
Аbstract: The archaeological site of Margum/Morava, at the confluence of the Velika Morava into t... more Аbstract: The archaeological site of Margum/Morava, at the confluence of the Velika Morava into the Danube, was an important strategic point. The first traces of a settlement originate from the Neolithic period. This is the first anthropological analysis ever performed on the Margum/Morava material, although the site itself has been archaeologically investigated since the beginning of the 20 th century, and many burials were found, from Bronze Age, Roman times, Migration period, Byzantine period and the Middle Ages. The anthropological analysis published here presents the results of the excavations performed in 2011. Even though the number of graves analysed here is modest-a total of 8 graves (we took into account only non-devastated graves for this analysis), they produced exciting results that will help us shed light on the living conditions in this area. Most frequent changes on bones were the ones that can be connected with occupational stress, osteoarthrosis and dental diseases, but also fractures and infections resulting from injuries, metabolic stress and even two possible cases of tuberculosis.
Intestinal Parasitic Infection in the Eastern Roman Empire During the Imperial Period and Late Antiquity, 2020
While there have been numerous studies investigating intestinal parasitic infection in the Roman ... more While there have been numerous studies investigating intestinal parasitic infection in the Roman period, much of this work has been focused in northern Europe, with major gaps in the eastern empire. In order to further elucidate regional patterns in parasitic infection in the Roman empire, we looked for evidence for parasites in sites from Anatolia and the Balkans. Sediment samples from drains as well as coprolites were studied to find evidence for intestinal parasites in the Roman cities of Viminacium (Serbia) and Sardis (Turkey), and results were combined with previous work in these regions. Each sample was tested for preserved helminth (worm) eggs using microscopy and for intestinal protozoa that cause diarrhea, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our analysis revealed a predominance of species spread by the contamination of food and water by human feces, namely roundworm and whipworm. The identification of these parasites (which are linked to sanitation and hygiene) in Roman cities in Anatolia and the Balkans is contrasted with the range of zoonotic species found elsewhere in the empire. It appears that variations in cooking practices, diet, urbanization, and climate throughout the empire may have contributed to differences in gastrointestinal diseases in different regions. Open access - free download https://www.ajaonline.org/article/4180
Artificial deformation of the skull is a custom of alteration of infant skull by mechanical force... more Artificial deformation of the skull is a custom of alteration of infant skull by mechanical forces. It is a very interesting phenomenon, presented in many different cultures , historical periods and continents. However, there is still no clear explanation for that practice. Most scientists, led by ethnological parallels with ancient Egypt and Peru (Inca Empire) where an elongated skull was a sign of belonging to the royal family, tend to generalize this practice and to believe that it was a status symbol and that those who had it belonged to the highest class. Nevertheless, in the case of artificially deformed skulls from the territory of Serbia, which belong to the Migration period, these comparisons are not adequate, as mentioned cultures were too far away from each other in both geographical and chronological sense. Rescue excavation in Kikinda in 2007 brought to light a new case of an individual with artificial cranial deformation. The remains belonged to a woman, 50-60 years old, with poor dental health and with various stress markers, indicators of hard physical labour. The only grave good was a spinal disk, found next to deceased's head. The tomb is dated to the Migration period, without a possibility of more precise determination. A comprehensive anthropological analysis of the individual's health status was performed. The obtained results are not in accordance with the usual common explanations of this practice and open a new debate to which more detailed and complete research can offer an answer.
Archaeology of Women Mortuary Practices and Bioarchaeological Reconstruction , 2018
Over the course of history female monastic populations were the only community of women that were... more Over the course of history female monastic populations were the only community of women that were free to make their own decision on administration and finances. Many nunneries were producing their own food, wine and olive oil, making income out of that and being self-sustaining. The Constitution of the Nuns gives very detailed rules about every aspect of the life in a monastery. The main tasks were praying, contemplation and manual work. Although the importance and the necessity of work were so much emphasized, it is not specified what kind of work it had to be. It appears that it was more important to avoid idleness, by doing whatever would keep one busy, than to contribute economically to the community, although any extra income was appreciated. On the contrary, according to Rey (2009), Spanish monasteries were more centres of consumption than of production. This claim was established on the basis of her study of monasteries' expense books, as well as on the fact that nuns were of noble status and probably not used to work. In Rey’s opinion, most of the work was performed by lay sisters, who were employed in the external service of the convent and belonged to lower social status. In order to test this claim skeletal markers of activity and repetitive traumas, such as entheseal changes, Schmorl's nodes, Charles’ facet, squatting facets, discal hernias, jumper knee, os acromiale and markers of occupational stress on teeth were analysed and compared between three monastic and three female secular populations. The obtained results proved that occupational markers were equally presented in monastic and secular populations (or in some cases even more presented in the monastic populations), which can lead to the conclusion that nuns did perform physical labour, probably even from sub-adult period. .
Advances in geochemical and physical anthropological studies have provided new tools to reconstru... more Advances in geochemical and physical anthropological studies have provided new tools to reconstruct ancient lifestyles, especially of thoseminorities not commonly mentioned in historical texts. In comparison tomales, little is known about everyday life in female monastic communities, and how it has changed over time. In this paper, we present a paleodietary (δ13C and δ15N in bone collagen) study of human (n= 58) and animal (n = 13) remains recovered from the former Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena in Belmonte (Cuenca, central Spain). Two funerary areas used by Dominican nuns were sampled: one dated to the sixteenth (n= 34) and the seventeenth (n = 15) centuries, and the other dated in the nineteenth and twentieth (n = 9) centuries. The isotopic values for sheep (n = 7) suggest the animals consumed at the convent came from diverse ecosystems or were raised under a range of management strategies. The human samples reflect a terrestrial diet, and those from the nineteenth to twentieth century, in some cases, reveal the presence of C4 plants (millet, corn or sugar cane). Due to their religious practice, the consumption of terrestrial animal protein was restricted, and although they were allowed to eat fish, the isotopic signatures show little evidence of this. The individuals from the sixteenth and seventeenth century show a continuous shift in δ15N (9.7–12.7‰), with few significant differences in relation to the period, age, or pathologies (osteoporosis, periostitis, and brucellosis). The nineteenth- to twentieth-century samples can be divided into two groups: (a) one that fits the trend of previous centuries, albeit with a higher δ15N, possibly related to extensive access to animal protein; and (b) a second group with elevated δ13C values (up to − 15.7‰). Different customs in the assumed homogeneous monastic life are discussed as possible sources of isotopic variation, including access to luxury products such as animal protein or sugar, or the practice of periods of food abstinence, which were especially popular with these communities, according to historical records.
ABSTRACT
In 2015, during the excavation of the necropolis of the Roman site Viminacium (eastern S... more ABSTRACT In 2015, during the excavation of the necropolis of the Roman site Viminacium (eastern Serbia), dated to Late Antiquity, human skeletal remains of a young female, showing visible pathological changes, were found in grave G-5663, trench 478. Epiphyses of femurs, tibias and the right radius did not show any sign of fusion, although the third molar had already erupted, which could lead to the conclusion that a developmental delay occurred. Macroscopic examination of the skeleton revealed porotic changes and new bone formation that were visible on all the long bones and skull - most likely connected to scurvy (vitamin C deficiency).
En las cuatro fosas excavadas en la localidad toledana de Calera y Chozas, se exhumaron un total ... more En las cuatro fosas excavadas en la localidad toledana de Calera y Chozas, se exhumaron un total de 28 individuos (26 hombres y dos mujeres) con edades comprendidas entre los 13 y los 67 años. Sorprendió durante su estudio antropológico y paleopatológico la aparición de una gran cantidad de patologías antemortem relacionadas con la columna vertebra l de origen muy diverso (infeccioso, traumático, congénito, degenerativo) así como la presencia de diversas variedades anatómicas. Se realizaron análisis radiográficos y de scaner para intentar establecer un diagnóstico en cada caso. En total, 21 individuos presentaban nódulos de Schmorl, 22 patología artrósica, dos una fuerte escoliosis, en dos fueron apreciados signos de Pedro Pons, una persona presentaba una fractura por aplastamiento de una vértebra torácica, otro una fractura de sacro consolidada, un caso de espina bifida oculta y dos casos de espondilolisis.
Esta elevada tasa de patología vertebral en una muestra de tan solo 28 individuos, creemos que puede ser debida, entre otros factores, a una actividad laboral muy importante desde una edad muy temprana, con gran exigencia para la columna vertebral y a una vida de tipo rural con un contacto íntimo con los animales.
This paper reports two possible cases of Osgood-Schlatter’s disease on the osseous remains of two... more This paper reports two possible cases of Osgood-Schlatter’s disease on the osseous remains of two subadults (one aged 6 and the other aged 15–20 years) from the Spanish medieval necropolis (12th–15th century) of Santo Domingo de Silos church (Prádena del Rincón, Madrid). Osgood-Schlatter’s disease is a partial avulsion of the patellar tendon (ligamentum patellae) which inserts into the tuberosity of the tibia (tuberositas tibiae) accompanied by a fragmentation of the apofisal centre. This lesion manifests as a painful swelling of the protuberance located under the knee. It is common in children and adolescents – when the knee joint is not fully formed – and disappears when the tuberosity of the tibia fuses – making it difficult for the observation in skeletal remains of adults. The purpose of this paper is to present two interesting cases in order to bring new paleopathological examples and enrich our knowledge of this topic.
JOURNAL OF THE SERBIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 2023
Although the medieval necropoles of Rudine and Svetinja (Braničevo) were
excavated almost 40 year... more Although the medieval necropoles of Rudine and Svetinja (Braničevo) were excavated almost 40 years ago, an anthropological analysis was performed for the first time in 2017. As in the 1980s the importance of physical anthropology was still not fully recognized, physical anthropologists were few in number, and anthropological analyses were rarely carried out. It was common for the skeletal material to be reburied, therefore, we believe that this skeletal material was preserved only by chance. Although only a small part of the graves was found (two from Rudine and five from Svetinja), the results of the analysis show the presence of metabolic diseases, congenital deformation, traumatic injuries, and even interpersonal violence, which represent an important addition to archaeological and historical knowledge about life in medieval Serbia.
A child aged 5±1 years with abnormally developed mandibular incisors was discovered during the an... more A child aged 5±1 years with abnormally developed mandibular incisors was discovered during the analysis of a skeletal assemblage from the late medieval/early modern necropolis of Macael Viejo (c. 13th–16th, Almería, Spain). The mandibular right deciduous incisors (81 and 82) were found to have developed a rare abnormality – a fused crown and single root. The identification, descriptions, and differential diagnoses of the anomaly were performed using morphological analyses and radiographic means. This article aims to present a case of fusion of two adjacent primary teeth displayed by a non-adult and analyze the applications and the potential of microcomputed tomography (Micro-CT) in the analysis of tooth crown and root canal morphology in dental anomalies.
ABSTRACT During the excavation of the medieval church of Santo Domingo de Silos in Prádena (Madri... more ABSTRACT During the excavation of the medieval church of Santo Domingo de Silos in Prádena (Madrid, Spain), a necropolis with at least 245 individuals, buried between the 12th and 15th centuries, was discovered. Out of this number more than 50% were children. A full anthropological and paleopathological study of these individuals was performed. The paleopathological study was divided into infectious, circulatory, metabolic, degenerative and traumatic pathology. We have also analyzed the markers of occupational stress. The discovery of ossuary 36, with the remains of 49 adults and 6 children, was noteworthy; firstly, due to the low proportion of children compared to the rest of the necropolis (71 adults and 119 children). Secondly, it is the only tomb where we found signs of violence, such as intentional traumas and cuts, while in the rest of the necropolis the etiology of traumas seem accidental. And finally for the great number of bones with signs of infection. Considering the historical context of this cemetery (period of Reconquista in central Spain), there are several open hypotheses, such as the possible violent death of those individuals. Keywords: pathology, trauma, violence, Reconquista
espanolDurante la excavacion en el ano 2015 de la necropolis del yacimiento romano de Viminacium ... more espanolDurante la excavacion en el ano 2015 de la necropolis del yacimiento romano de Viminacium (Este de Serbia), los restos oseos humanos de una mujer joven, mostrando cambios patologicos visibles, se encontraron en la tumba G-5663, sondeo 478. La epifisis de ambos femures, tibias y radio derecho no mostraron ningun signo de fusion, aunque el tercer molar ya habia erupcionado, lo que podria llevar a la conclusion de que se produjo un retraso en el desarrollo. El examen macroscopico del esqueleto revelo cambios poroticos y nueva formacion osea visibles en todos los huesos largos y en el craneo, probablemente relacionados con el escorbuto (deficiencia de vitamina C) EnglishIn 2015, during the excavation of the necropolis of the Roman site Viminacium (eastern Serbia), dated to Late Antiquity, human skeletal remains of a young female, showing visible pathological changes, were found in grave G-5663, trench 478. Epiphyses of femurs, tibias and the right radius did not show any sign of ...
The purpose of this thesis is to gain an understanding of the daily lives of nuns from convents o... more The purpose of this thesis is to gain an understanding of the daily lives of nuns from convents on the Iberian Peninsula in modern time (16th – 20th century) by examining their skeletal remains. A study of female monastic communities does not mean just “filling the gap”, but expending and enriching the knowledge of the most crucial chapter of female history in Christianity. It is important to remember that nuns were the only women who were able to live an independent life and acquire education, which was denied even to the women of the highest class, and that some of the most significant female poets, writers, painters, philosophers, composers… spent their life behind convent walls. Also, it was the only community of women, run by women, where they were free to make their own decision on administration, to take care of documentation, and even more important - finances. For that reason, many historians and theoreticians see in nunneries the origin of feminism. Therefore, the idea of ...
Jesus Herrerin, Natasa Sarkic, Lucia Munoz Ugarte, Alvaro Izquierdo, Carmen Ibarzabal, Miram Saqq... more Jesus Herrerin, Natasa Sarkic, Lucia Munoz Ugarte, Alvaro Izquierdo, Carmen Ibarzabal, Miram Saqqa Durante de la excavacion en la Iglesia medieval de Santo Domingo de Silos en Pradena del Rincon (Madrid, Espana), se descubrio una necropolis con al menos 245 individuos enterrados entre los siglos XII y XV. De este numero mas de 50 % eran ninos. Se realizo un completo estudio antropologico (principales parametros antropometricos, caracteres metricos y discretos y variabilidad anatomica), y paleopatologico de los individuos. En la parte paleopatologica, se dividio el estudio en patologia de origen infeccioso, circulatorio, metabolico y degenerativo y traumatico . Tambien hemos analizado marcadores de estres ocupacional. Entre los restos de la necropolis, llama la atencion la tumba 36, un osario donde hemos encontrado restos de 49 adultos y 6 infantiles. En primer lugar por la poca proporcion de ninos en comparacion con el resto de la necropolis (71 adultos y 119 ninos). En segundo luga...
Background Hansen’s disease (leprosy), widespread in medieval Europe, is today mainly prevalent i... more Background Hansen’s disease (leprosy), widespread in medieval Europe, is today mainly prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions with around 200,000 new cases reported annually. Despite its long history and appearance in historical records, its origins and past dissemination patterns are still widely unknown. Applying ancient DNA approaches to its major causative agent, Mycobacterium leprae, can significantly improve our understanding of the disease’s complex history. Previous studies have identified a high genetic continuity of the pathogen over the last 1500 years and the existence of at least four M. leprae lineages in some parts of Europe since the Early Medieval period. Results Here, we reconstructed 19 ancient M. leprae genomes to further investigate M. leprae’s genetic variation in Europe, with a dedicated focus on bacterial genomes from previously unstudied regions (Belarus, Iberia, Russia, Scotland), from multiple sites in a single region (Cambridgeshire, England), and f...
LIFE AND DEATH IN MEDIAEVAL AND EARLY MODERN TIMES, 2020
The renovation of the church of St. Domingo de Silos in the town of Prádena del Rincón (Madrid), ... more The renovation of the church of St. Domingo de Silos in the town of Prádena del Rincón (Madrid), carried out between 2010 and 2012, brought to light an unusual discovery – immured and decapitated statues of saints together with a pile of human bones. The sculptures were carved in wood and dated to the first half of the 14th century according to experts. Two of them were identified as the Virgin Mary and St. John the Evangelist. The third one may be St. Domingo de Silos or St. Thomas. An anthropological analysis of the bones revealed that at least 12 individuals were buried there. Of that number, 7 were adults, 4 infants and 1 new-born. Pathological changes of the bones indicated poor dental health, non-specific stress indicators and traumas. Immurement, as a method of execution, existed in various epochs. However, in the case of the remains from the church of St. Domingo, the position of the bones pointed out that it was the secondary burial. However, it is very strange that the bones were buried in such an unusual place, knowing that a necropolis was located nearby. Possible reasons for that will be discussed in this article.
Аbstract: The archaeological site of Margum/Morava, at the confluence of the Velika Morava into t... more Аbstract: The archaeological site of Margum/Morava, at the confluence of the Velika Morava into the Danube, was an important strategic point. The first traces of a settlement originate from the Neolithic period. This is the first anthropological analysis ever performed on the Margum/Morava material, although the site itself has been archaeologically investigated since the beginning of the 20 th century, and many burials were found, from Bronze Age, Roman times, Migration period, Byzantine period and the Middle Ages. The anthropological analysis published here presents the results of the excavations performed in 2011. Even though the number of graves analysed here is modest-a total of 8 graves (we took into account only non-devastated graves for this analysis), they produced exciting results that will help us shed light on the living conditions in this area. Most frequent changes on bones were the ones that can be connected with occupational stress, osteoarthrosis and dental diseases, but also fractures and infections resulting from injuries, metabolic stress and even two possible cases of tuberculosis.
Intestinal Parasitic Infection in the Eastern Roman Empire During the Imperial Period and Late Antiquity, 2020
While there have been numerous studies investigating intestinal parasitic infection in the Roman ... more While there have been numerous studies investigating intestinal parasitic infection in the Roman period, much of this work has been focused in northern Europe, with major gaps in the eastern empire. In order to further elucidate regional patterns in parasitic infection in the Roman empire, we looked for evidence for parasites in sites from Anatolia and the Balkans. Sediment samples from drains as well as coprolites were studied to find evidence for intestinal parasites in the Roman cities of Viminacium (Serbia) and Sardis (Turkey), and results were combined with previous work in these regions. Each sample was tested for preserved helminth (worm) eggs using microscopy and for intestinal protozoa that cause diarrhea, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our analysis revealed a predominance of species spread by the contamination of food and water by human feces, namely roundworm and whipworm. The identification of these parasites (which are linked to sanitation and hygiene) in Roman cities in Anatolia and the Balkans is contrasted with the range of zoonotic species found elsewhere in the empire. It appears that variations in cooking practices, diet, urbanization, and climate throughout the empire may have contributed to differences in gastrointestinal diseases in different regions. Open access - free download https://www.ajaonline.org/article/4180
Artificial deformation of the skull is a custom of alteration of infant skull by mechanical force... more Artificial deformation of the skull is a custom of alteration of infant skull by mechanical forces. It is a very interesting phenomenon, presented in many different cultures , historical periods and continents. However, there is still no clear explanation for that practice. Most scientists, led by ethnological parallels with ancient Egypt and Peru (Inca Empire) where an elongated skull was a sign of belonging to the royal family, tend to generalize this practice and to believe that it was a status symbol and that those who had it belonged to the highest class. Nevertheless, in the case of artificially deformed skulls from the territory of Serbia, which belong to the Migration period, these comparisons are not adequate, as mentioned cultures were too far away from each other in both geographical and chronological sense. Rescue excavation in Kikinda in 2007 brought to light a new case of an individual with artificial cranial deformation. The remains belonged to a woman, 50-60 years old, with poor dental health and with various stress markers, indicators of hard physical labour. The only grave good was a spinal disk, found next to deceased's head. The tomb is dated to the Migration period, without a possibility of more precise determination. A comprehensive anthropological analysis of the individual's health status was performed. The obtained results are not in accordance with the usual common explanations of this practice and open a new debate to which more detailed and complete research can offer an answer.
Archaeology of Women Mortuary Practices and Bioarchaeological Reconstruction , 2018
Over the course of history female monastic populations were the only community of women that were... more Over the course of history female monastic populations were the only community of women that were free to make their own decision on administration and finances. Many nunneries were producing their own food, wine and olive oil, making income out of that and being self-sustaining. The Constitution of the Nuns gives very detailed rules about every aspect of the life in a monastery. The main tasks were praying, contemplation and manual work. Although the importance and the necessity of work were so much emphasized, it is not specified what kind of work it had to be. It appears that it was more important to avoid idleness, by doing whatever would keep one busy, than to contribute economically to the community, although any extra income was appreciated. On the contrary, according to Rey (2009), Spanish monasteries were more centres of consumption than of production. This claim was established on the basis of her study of monasteries' expense books, as well as on the fact that nuns were of noble status and probably not used to work. In Rey’s opinion, most of the work was performed by lay sisters, who were employed in the external service of the convent and belonged to lower social status. In order to test this claim skeletal markers of activity and repetitive traumas, such as entheseal changes, Schmorl's nodes, Charles’ facet, squatting facets, discal hernias, jumper knee, os acromiale and markers of occupational stress on teeth were analysed and compared between three monastic and three female secular populations. The obtained results proved that occupational markers were equally presented in monastic and secular populations (or in some cases even more presented in the monastic populations), which can lead to the conclusion that nuns did perform physical labour, probably even from sub-adult period. .
Advances in geochemical and physical anthropological studies have provided new tools to reconstru... more Advances in geochemical and physical anthropological studies have provided new tools to reconstruct ancient lifestyles, especially of thoseminorities not commonly mentioned in historical texts. In comparison tomales, little is known about everyday life in female monastic communities, and how it has changed over time. In this paper, we present a paleodietary (δ13C and δ15N in bone collagen) study of human (n= 58) and animal (n = 13) remains recovered from the former Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena in Belmonte (Cuenca, central Spain). Two funerary areas used by Dominican nuns were sampled: one dated to the sixteenth (n= 34) and the seventeenth (n = 15) centuries, and the other dated in the nineteenth and twentieth (n = 9) centuries. The isotopic values for sheep (n = 7) suggest the animals consumed at the convent came from diverse ecosystems or were raised under a range of management strategies. The human samples reflect a terrestrial diet, and those from the nineteenth to twentieth century, in some cases, reveal the presence of C4 plants (millet, corn or sugar cane). Due to their religious practice, the consumption of terrestrial animal protein was restricted, and although they were allowed to eat fish, the isotopic signatures show little evidence of this. The individuals from the sixteenth and seventeenth century show a continuous shift in δ15N (9.7–12.7‰), with few significant differences in relation to the period, age, or pathologies (osteoporosis, periostitis, and brucellosis). The nineteenth- to twentieth-century samples can be divided into two groups: (a) one that fits the trend of previous centuries, albeit with a higher δ15N, possibly related to extensive access to animal protein; and (b) a second group with elevated δ13C values (up to − 15.7‰). Different customs in the assumed homogeneous monastic life are discussed as possible sources of isotopic variation, including access to luxury products such as animal protein or sugar, or the practice of periods of food abstinence, which were especially popular with these communities, according to historical records.
ABSTRACT
In 2015, during the excavation of the necropolis of the Roman site Viminacium (eastern S... more ABSTRACT In 2015, during the excavation of the necropolis of the Roman site Viminacium (eastern Serbia), dated to Late Antiquity, human skeletal remains of a young female, showing visible pathological changes, were found in grave G-5663, trench 478. Epiphyses of femurs, tibias and the right radius did not show any sign of fusion, although the third molar had already erupted, which could lead to the conclusion that a developmental delay occurred. Macroscopic examination of the skeleton revealed porotic changes and new bone formation that were visible on all the long bones and skull - most likely connected to scurvy (vitamin C deficiency).
En las cuatro fosas excavadas en la localidad toledana de Calera y Chozas, se exhumaron un total ... more En las cuatro fosas excavadas en la localidad toledana de Calera y Chozas, se exhumaron un total de 28 individuos (26 hombres y dos mujeres) con edades comprendidas entre los 13 y los 67 años. Sorprendió durante su estudio antropológico y paleopatológico la aparición de una gran cantidad de patologías antemortem relacionadas con la columna vertebra l de origen muy diverso (infeccioso, traumático, congénito, degenerativo) así como la presencia de diversas variedades anatómicas. Se realizaron análisis radiográficos y de scaner para intentar establecer un diagnóstico en cada caso. En total, 21 individuos presentaban nódulos de Schmorl, 22 patología artrósica, dos una fuerte escoliosis, en dos fueron apreciados signos de Pedro Pons, una persona presentaba una fractura por aplastamiento de una vértebra torácica, otro una fractura de sacro consolidada, un caso de espina bifida oculta y dos casos de espondilolisis.
Esta elevada tasa de patología vertebral en una muestra de tan solo 28 individuos, creemos que puede ser debida, entre otros factores, a una actividad laboral muy importante desde una edad muy temprana, con gran exigencia para la columna vertebral y a una vida de tipo rural con un contacto íntimo con los animales.
This paper reports two possible cases of Osgood-Schlatter’s disease on the osseous remains of two... more This paper reports two possible cases of Osgood-Schlatter’s disease on the osseous remains of two subadults (one aged 6 and the other aged 15–20 years) from the Spanish medieval necropolis (12th–15th century) of Santo Domingo de Silos church (Prádena del Rincón, Madrid). Osgood-Schlatter’s disease is a partial avulsion of the patellar tendon (ligamentum patellae) which inserts into the tuberosity of the tibia (tuberositas tibiae) accompanied by a fragmentation of the apofisal centre. This lesion manifests as a painful swelling of the protuberance located under the knee. It is common in children and adolescents – when the knee joint is not fully formed – and disappears when the tuberosity of the tibia fuses – making it difficult for the observation in skeletal remains of adults. The purpose of this paper is to present two interesting cases in order to bring new paleopathological examples and enrich our knowledge of this topic.
28th EAA Meeting Session: #365: Life and Death behind the Wall: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Monasticism in Past, 2022
For centuries monasteries had a very important role in society. Not only were they the centre of ... more For centuries monasteries had a very important role in society. Not only were they the centre of spirituality, but also the centre of education, and they often provided shelter and food for beggars, medical care for the sick and home for orphans and the elderly poor. Nuns and monks, at least in theory, lived in communities under vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, dedicating their time to prayer, contemplation, intellectual and physical work. However, the information that we have at hand is mainly based on written sources, such as historical data, monastic books and rules of monastic orders. But history can often be subject to manipulation and provides only general facts. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we can shed a light on various aspects of monastic life and its evolution through centuries. While archaeological studies can answer questions regarding architecture, economy, facilities and religious landscapes, archaeozoology and archaeobotany can inform us about the production and consumption of food and drinks, bioarchaeology can tell about health and diet, traumas, degenerative diseases, dental health, occupational stress, infectious diseases etc. We can also observe possible differences between monastic orders, between male and female communities as well as possible violations of monastic rules. With new approaches, we can follow the development of these large complexes through space and time, their adaptation to new social and environmental changes through a long period of time, from the late antique period till the 19th century. We invite papers addressing topics of European monasticism in a broad sense. Contribution can be focused on monastic populations (both monks and nuns) or specific cases and can present results from different perspectives: bioarchaeology (analysis of human remains, archaeobotany, archeozoology…), biomolecular analysis, landscape archaeology etc. We particularly welcome papers that provide examples of cross-disciplinary research, regardless of geographic region or time period.
Bilateral thinning of the parietal bones is a disease described in the eighteenth century. Althou... more Bilateral thinning of the parietal bones is a disease described in the eighteenth century. Although there is still no consensus in terms of its etiology. Some have considered it an anatomical variant or a non-progressive congenital dysplasia of the diploë, others think it’s an acquired and progressive disease, some associate it with senility, or osteoporosis, others blame growth defects or even constant pressure on this area of the skull as its cause, and finally, there are researchers that relate it to acute inflammatory atrophy associated with trauma, primary and metastatic tumors, the Gorham-Stout disease, diabetes mellitus, and, in actual clinic practice, a prolonged steroid therapy. We would like to present 6 cases from two necropolises, quite separated in time and space, but with common features of the disease on the affected individuals. One of the cases is from a sample of 95 adult skulls found in the tomb of Momthemhat (Luxor, Egypt), in the time frame between the I and II century AD. The other five cases are from the seventeenth-century necropolis excavated in the Claustro del Infante Don Juan Manuel (Belmonte, Spain). In this necropolis 84 individuals have been exhumed; 68 females, 6 males and 10 indeterminated, all aged from 15 to 60 years of age. Documentation of that period indicates that mostly nuns were buried in that cloister. Radiography was performed on all the cases from both necropolises in order to establish the correct diagnosis. Of the six cases 5 were women and one was a man. All of them were between 45 and 50 years of age.
ABSTRACT:
En el yacimiento de Cerro de las Cabezas (VI-II a.C.) se exhumó un depósito formado por... more ABSTRACT: En el yacimiento de Cerro de las Cabezas (VI-II a.C.) se exhumó un depósito formado por dos esqueletos humanos, varias piezas de ajuar y seis grandes cornamentas de ciervo, algunas de más de un metro de longitud. Podemos asegurar que se trata de un funeral único (los individuos fueron enterrados en un intervalo de tiempo corto después de la muerte) y una sepultura primaria (su emplazamiento se realiza en un depósito que será el definitivo). Pero lo más interesante fue la constatación de que ambos individuos sufrieron una muerte traumática. En el Individuo A, un hombre entre 35 y 45 años, hemos observado en el fémur derecho unas huellas de haber sufrido un corte con un arma de hoja grande y muy afilada, del tipo de una espada, un hacha o un machete. El golpe se produjo en la parte posterior y lateral del tercio distal del fémur. En el Individuo B, un hombre entre 40 y 59 años, la posición de su cabeza no se puede explicar nada más que por una decapitación perimortem. La importancia del hallazgo viene justificada por la gran escasez de restos humanos de época ibérica en la Península Ibérica, ya que los rituales funerarios ibéricos se basan en la cremación del individuo. La aparición de un rico ajuar, la disposición de los cadáveres, su muerte violenta y su localización en la necrópolis (en la muralla del poblado), nos induce a pensar en una muerte ritual, con fines punitivos o de ofrenda para proteger la ciudad.
En la localidad madrileña de Prádena del Rincón se encuentra la Iglesia medieval de Santo Domingo... more En la localidad madrileña de Prádena del Rincón se encuentra la Iglesia medieval de Santo Domingo de Silos, en cuya necrópolis descansaban al menos 245 individuos de entre los siglos XII-XIII a siglo XV. El estudio de las patologías de origen traumático presentes en esta población nos ha permitido localizar traumatismos variados, que incluyen desde fracturas a luxaciones. En este trabajo vamos a centrarnos en los traumatismos localizados en las extremidades inferiores, por existir varios casos interesantes, que se corresponden con 5 patologías diferentes: dos fracturas de cuello de fémur, un caso de deslizamiento lateral de la cabeza femoral, fractura en tibia, enfermedad de Osgood-Schlatter y una fractura-luxación del tercer metatarsiano. La etiología más probable para todos ellos es accidental, vinculada a caídas y golpes, traumatología en sintonía con la vida rural de esta población dedicada a la ganadería, principalmente, y también a la agricultura de secano. Si bien en ninguno de los casos presentados la lesión puede causar la muerte del individuo, muchas de ellas debieron traducirse en dolor o deficiencias mecánicas crónicas que, aún así, parece que no fueron impedimento para que los individuos continuaran con su actividad diaria normal. Entre estos traumas destacar la tibia con Osgood-Schlatter, por existir pocos ejemplos paleopatológicos de esta enfermedad en fase activa, y el fémur con deslizamiento lateral de la cabeza femoral, por ser una patología de diagnóstico complicado.
XV CONGRESO NACIONAL E INTERNACIONAL DE PALEOPATOLOGÍA, 2019
Introducción: El antiguo monasterio de San Jerónimo el Real (siglo XVI-XX) fue uno de los monaste... more Introducción: El antiguo monasterio de San Jerónimo el Real (siglo XVI-XX) fue uno de los monasterios más importantes de Madrid, regido originariamente por la Orden de San Jerónimo. El convento estuvo estrechamente ligado a la vida de la Corte y la monarquía española y fue el lugar de celebración de bodas y proclamaciones regias. En 1998, el Claustro del antiguo convento fue excavado y este espacio se anexó al Museo del Prado. Material y métodos: El análisis del material exhumado en el monasterio de San Jerónimo (Madrid) incluye 22 tumbas individuales y 5 conjuntos de huesos (rellenos y acumulaciones). Se llevó a cabo un análisis antropológico, paleopatológico e isotópico de los restos. Principales resultados: Todos los individuos, cuyo sexo fue posible estimar, eran hombres adultos. Se han observado numerosas diferencias entre ellos, tanto en su robustez como en los marcadores de estrés pero, sorprendentemente, también en su alimentación. Tratándose de una comunidad religiosa, que teóricamente debería haber tenido una dieta homogénea (los mismos alimentos y en las mismas cantidades) y con restricciones religiosas (ayunos), los resultados isotópicos muestran importantes diferencias entre individuos. También se anotaron varias enfermedades infecciosas, entre las cuales un posible caso de sífilis (enfermedad de transmisión sexual) sin duda es lo que llama mayormente la atención. Conclusiones: Con estos resultados, se observan grandes diferencias en la forma de vida entre los individuos que formaban esta comunidad religiosa y que, en algunos casos, parece indicar que los votos no eran totalmente respetados. Es posible que la cercanía con la Corona hubiera podido otorgar a estos monjes mayores privilegios y libertades y una relajación en el cumplimiento de las estrictas normas de la orden.
Death, Mobility and Migration from Prehistory to Middle Ages, 2019
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, Visigoths occupied what is now southwestern... more After the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, Visigoths occupied what is now southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula. They considered themselves successors of the Roman Empire believing that they had the legal right to take the territories in Hispania that Rome had promised in exchange for restoring the Roman order. Therefore, they gradually adopted their culture to the culture of their predecessor, Romans, by imitating key elements of Roman culture. They would also often choose to reutilize Roman buildings and one of the examples of that practice is Roman Villa in Santa Lucia that was converted to a Visigoth church and necropolis, using the floor of the villa and terma for burials. The first excavation of this site was performed between 1968-1972, discovering the remains of beautiful mosaics, ceramic objects, luxurious jewellery and objects of everyday use. Unfortunately, as the knowledge of the importance of the anthropological and paleopathological study of human remains was not still widespread in that epoch, the remains were not preserved. However, in 2018 new excavation led by the museum of Segovia and Curso Practico de Antropologia Fisica brought to light new and interesting results that can shed new information regarding the “newcomers” in the Iberian Peninsula.
ARCHEOLOGY MEETS PALEORADIOLOGY INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC MULTIDISCIPLINARY CONFERENCE OF THE INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY , 2019
Parietal thinning is defined as external thinning of the parietal bone of the skull.
It is mani... more Parietal thinning is defined as external thinning of the parietal bone of the skull.
It is manifested by a partial or complete absence of the diploë of the calvarium at the site and by corresponding thinness of the skull in the involved portion.
The characteristic site of bilateral parietal thinning is the area between the sagittal suture and the parietal prominence. The inner table is usually intact. The condition is slowly progressing and painless, therefore it is usually discovered by chance. However, it is important to recognize it in anthropological context and not to mistake it with trauma, tumour or trepanation.
Actas del XX Congreso de la Sociedad Española de Antropología Física (Barcelona, 12-14 julio 2017) , 2017
Female monasteries had a very important role in society. Not only were they the centre of spiritu... more Female monasteries had a very important role in society. Not only were they the centre of spirituality, but also the centre of education, and they often provided shelter and food for beggars, medical care for the sick and home for the elderly poor and orphans. Apart from orphans, historical sources mention other children – very young novices, often from noble families, sent to convents. Although the Council of Trent in the 16th century decided that the minimum age to enter in religion was 12 for girls, it seemed that this rule was often disobeyed in Spain. The study of skeletal remains from two monastic necropoles, both found in the abandoned Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena in Belmonte, dating from the 16th-18th and 19th-20th century, confirmed the presence of two non-adults, aged 11.5±1 and 16.5±1 years, in the Early Modern age necropolis. Pathological changes, pointing to metabolic stress, were noted in both individuals. The older individual had poor dental health. Taking into account the fact that the remains were found in the necropolis where nuns were buried (and not in the civil cemetery) it is more likely that those non-adults were novices than orphans. Although it is not clear from their skeletal remains what the cause of their death was, it is possible that a sudden switch to life in cloister, which included hard physical work, reduced alimentation and fasting, could have produced a sort of metabolic shock, especially knowing the fact that most of the girls came from a high class of society.
22nd European Meeting of the Paleopathology
AssociationThe restoration works on the church o... more 22nd European Meeting of the Paleopathology
AssociationThe restoration works on the church of El Salvador in Toledo (Spain) which was carried out in 2008 brought to light a cemetery from 16th - 18th century. On one of the individual buried there (a female, aged 40-59) possible signs of venereal syphilis were noted. The periostic reaction in the postcranial skeleton was noted on the tibia and the clavicles, while lesions called caries sicca, typical for advanced stages of the disease, were noted on the skull.
The analysis of the presence of mercury in bones was performed in order to discover if she was exposed to mercury treatment, which was at that time considered to be the cure for syphilis. The analysis confirmed that the concentration of mercury in the bones of this individual was much higher than in the other two buried next to her. This suggests that there was an attempt of curing, although it is hard to say if that had any effects, or it even had a counter effect.
The same individual had various lines of enamel hypoplasia on teeth, coxa valga, bowing of long bones in lower extremities (suggesting residual rickets) and severe fractures of the sternum and the left arm with irregular alignment (the arm was shorter and curved). While coxa valga could be a congenital deformity, bowing of long bones and enamel hypoplasia suggested physiological stress in childhood. It is not very clear at which moment of her life the fracture of arm and sternum occurred, but is obvious that she lived a long time with this condition as it altered the complete morphology of the arm and created a significant amount of secondary (posttraumatic) osteoarthrosis.
The examples like this point out to a synergistic effect of diseases and the need for a new, more comprehensive approach to paleopathology.
Thinning of the parietal bone is a disease described in the eighteenth century. Although it has b... more Thinning of the parietal bone is a disease described in the eighteenth century. Although it has been known for such a long time, there is still no consensus in terms of its aetiology. Some have considered it an anatomical variant or a non-progressive congenital dysplasia of the díploe, others think it is an acquired and progressive disease, some associate it with senility or osteoporosis, others blame growth defects or even constant pressure on this area of the skull as its cause, and
finally, there are researchers that relate it to acute inflammatory atrophy associated with trauma, primary and metastatic tumours, the Gorham-Stout disease, diabetes mellitus, and, in actual clinical practice, a prolonged steroid therapy.
Five skulls with this pathology were discovered in the necropolis excavated inside of cloister of Infante Don Juan Manuel (Belmonte, Spain). In this necropolis 84 individuals have been exhumed;
74 females, 3 males and 7 indeterminate, all aged from 14-16 to more than 60 years of age. Documentation of that period indicates that mostly nuns were buried in that cloister.
Radiography was performed on all the cases from both necropolises in order to establish the correct diagnosis.
All of them were woman, four of them aged between 40-50 to more than 60 years, and in one case it was impossible to determinate the precise age.
Keywords: Paleopathology, Diploe, Disease, Nuns, Menopause
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Resumen
El adelgazamiento bilateral de los huesos parietales es una enfermedad descrita desde el siglo XVIII, aunque no hay unanimidad en cuanto a su etiología: algunos lo han considerado como una variedad anatómica o una displasia congénita no progresiva del díploe, otros una enfermedad
adquirida y progresiva, otros lo relacionan con la senilidad, la osteoporosis, diversos defectos del crecimiento, o incluso provocada por una presión constante en esta zona del cráneo, y por último, hay investigadores que lo relacionan con una atrofa inflamatoria aguda asociada a un trauma, tumores primarios y metastásicos, la enfermedad de Gorham-Stout, la diabetes mellitus, y, en clínica actual, a una terapia prolongada de esteroides. Estudios actuales lo asocian con la osteoporosis senil post-menopáusica.
Los cinco casos provienen de una necrópolis del siglo XVI-XVII excavada en el Claustro del Infante Don Juan Manuel, en Belmonte (España). En esta necrópolis se exhumaron 84 individuos (74 mujeres, 3 hombres y 7 indeterminados), con edades comprendidas entre los 14-16 y más de 60
años. Documentación de la época indica que en este claustro se enterraba preferentemente a las monjas que habitaban el convento.
En todos los casos y en ambas necrópolis se realizaron radiografías para establecer un correcto diagnóstico.
Todos los cráneos pertenecen a mujeres. Cuatro de ellas con una edad entre 40-50 y más de 60 años, y un caso donde fue imposible determinar la edad.
Palabras clave: Paleopatología, Díploe, Enfermedad, Monjas, Menopausia
The Paleopathology course (8 days/16 classes, 2 times weekly, 6.4. - 29. 4. 2021.) aims to provid... more The Paleopathology course (8 days/16 classes, 2 times weekly, 6.4. - 29. 4. 2021.) aims to provide students with basic and applied training on paleopathology and the techniques on which diagnoses are based on their different projections and interdisciplinary connections. In this course, we will learn about different types of diseases in the past, their symptoms and treatments, how they manifest in the bones, etc. Additionally, the course teaches about traumatic palaeopathology and violence injuries, and how to identify pseudo pathologies. https://osteoresearch.com/
Live online classes and practice!
The workshop will try to bring closer radiological methods to ... more Live online classes and practice! The workshop will try to bring closer radiological methods to anthropologists. Learn basic information on the use of X-ray, mobile X-ray, CT, micro CT and postprocessing with "hands-on" approach. The participants will be able to send their own material for radiological analysis before the workshop. This intensive online program will allow students to learn the same methods and techniques used by professional researchers, while #stayathome. Students will be able to attend online classes and online practice (using the live streaming platform), have access to scientific papers and multimedia material, ask questions and participate in a debate.
6th Practical Course of Physical Anthropology, organized by OSTEO Research in Aguilafuente (Sego... more 6th Practical Course of Physical Anthropology, organized by OSTEO Research in Aguilafuente (Segovia), will be held from 5 to 19 July 2020 on the archaeological site Santa Lucia. It has an eminently practical character, designed for carrying out all the activities in relation to the necropolis of the Visigothic period.
Paleoradiology workshop will bring closer radiological methods to physical anthropologists/bioarc... more Paleoradiology workshop will bring closer radiological methods to physical anthropologists/bioarchaeologists and archaeologists. Although paleoradiology was born almost simultaneously as the radiology it is still underused in paleopathology and archaeology. Even when used it is highly unstandardized, especially when using CT. The participants will be able to bring their own material to scan it during the workshop and to learn basic information on the use of X-ray, mobile X-ray, CT, micro CT and postprocessing with "hands-on" approach during five days of the workshop in clinical settings and "field" settings. https://paleoradiologyworkshop.wordpress.com/
LUGAR DE REALIZACIÓN
Aguilafuente (Segovia, Spain)
FECHAS 7-21 JULIO 2019
Curso intensivo de ... more LUGAR DE REALIZACIÓN Aguilafuente (Segovia, Spain) FECHAS 7-21 JULIO 2019 Curso intensivo de 7-15 días.
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Papers by Natasa Sarkic
excavated almost 40 years ago, an anthropological analysis was performed for the first time in 2017. As in the 1980s the importance of physical anthropology was still not fully recognized, physical anthropologists were few in number, and anthropological analyses
were rarely carried out. It was common for the skeletal material to be reburied, therefore, we believe that this skeletal material was preserved only by chance. Although only a small part of the graves was found (two from Rudine and five from Svetinja), the results of the analysis show the presence of metabolic diseases, congenital deformation, traumatic injuries, and even interpersonal violence, which represent an important addition to archaeological and historical knowledge about life in medieval Serbia.
identification, descriptions, and differential diagnoses of the anomaly were performed using morphological analyses and radiographic means. This article aims to present a case of fusion of two adjacent primary teeth displayed by a non-adult and analyze the applications and the potential of microcomputed tomography (Micro-CT) in the analysis of tooth crown and
root canal morphology in dental anomalies.
brought to light an unusual discovery – immured and decapitated statues of saints together with a pile of human bones. The sculptures
were carved in wood and dated to the first half of the 14th century according to experts. Two of them were identified as the Virgin Mary
and St. John the Evangelist. The third one may be St. Domingo de Silos or St. Thomas.
An anthropological analysis of the bones revealed that at least 12 individuals were buried there. Of that number, 7 were adults, 4 infants
and 1 new-born. Pathological changes of the bones indicated poor dental health, non-specific stress indicators and traumas.
Immurement, as a method of execution, existed in various epochs. However, in the case of the remains from the church of St. Domingo,
the position of the bones pointed out that it was the secondary burial. However, it is very strange that the bones were buried in such an
unusual place, knowing that a necropolis was located nearby. Possible reasons for that will be discussed in this article.
Open access - free download https://www.ajaonline.org/article/4180
The Constitution of the Nuns gives very detailed rules about every aspect of the life in a monastery. The main tasks were praying, contemplation and manual work. Although the importance and the necessity of work were so much emphasized, it is not specified what kind of work it had to be. It appears that it was more important to avoid idleness, by doing whatever would keep one busy, than to contribute economically to the community, although any extra income was appreciated.
On the contrary, according to Rey (2009), Spanish monasteries were more centres of consumption than of production. This claim was established on the basis of her study of monasteries' expense books, as well as on the fact that nuns were of noble status and probably not used to work. In Rey’s opinion, most of the work was performed by lay sisters, who were employed in the external service of the convent and belonged to lower social status.
In order to test this claim skeletal markers of activity and repetitive traumas, such as entheseal changes, Schmorl's nodes, Charles’ facet, squatting facets, discal hernias, jumper knee, os acromiale and markers of occupational stress on teeth were analysed and compared between three monastic and three female secular populations.
The obtained results proved that occupational markers were equally presented in monastic and secular populations (or in some cases even more presented in the monastic populations), which can lead to the conclusion that nuns did perform physical labour, probably even from sub-adult period.
.
(n = 7) suggest the animals consumed at the convent came from diverse ecosystems or were raised under a range of management strategies. The human samples reflect a terrestrial diet, and those from the nineteenth to twentieth century, in some cases, reveal the presence of C4 plants (millet, corn or sugar cane). Due to their religious practice, the consumption of terrestrial animal protein was
restricted, and although they were allowed to eat fish, the isotopic signatures show little evidence of this. The individuals from the sixteenth and seventeenth century show a continuous shift in δ15N (9.7–12.7‰), with few significant differences in relation to the period, age, or pathologies (osteoporosis, periostitis, and brucellosis). The nineteenth- to twentieth-century samples can be divided into two groups: (a) one that fits the trend of previous centuries, albeit with a higher δ15N, possibly related to extensive access to animal protein; and (b) a second group with elevated δ13C values (up to − 15.7‰). Different customs in the assumed homogeneous monastic
life are discussed as possible sources of isotopic variation, including access to luxury products such as animal protein or sugar, or the practice of periods of food abstinence, which were especially popular with these communities, according to historical records.
In 2015, during the excavation of the necropolis of the Roman site Viminacium (eastern Serbia), dated to Late Antiquity, human skeletal remains of a young female, showing visible pathological changes, were found in grave G-5663, trench 478. Epiphyses of femurs, tibias and the right radius did not show any sign of fusion, although the third molar had already erupted, which could lead to the conclusion that a developmental delay occurred. Macroscopic examination of the
skeleton revealed porotic changes and new bone formation that were visible on all the long bones and skull - most likely connected to scurvy (vitamin C deficiency).
Sorprendió durante su estudio antropológico y paleopatológico la aparición de una gran cantidad de patologías antemortem relacionadas con la columna vertebra l de origen muy diverso (infeccioso,
traumático, congénito, degenerativo) así como la presencia de diversas variedades anatómicas.
Se realizaron análisis radiográficos y de scaner para intentar establecer un diagnóstico en cada caso.
En total, 21 individuos presentaban nódulos de Schmorl, 22 patología artrósica, dos una fuerte escoliosis, en dos fueron apreciados signos de Pedro Pons, una persona presentaba una fractura por aplastamiento de una vértebra torácica, otro una fractura de sacro consolidada, un caso de espina bifida oculta y dos casos de espondilolisis.
Esta elevada tasa de patología vertebral en una muestra de tan solo 28 individuos, creemos que puede ser debida, entre otros factores, a una actividad laboral muy importante desde una edad muy temprana, con gran exigencia para la columna vertebral y a una vida de tipo rural con un contacto íntimo con los animales.
excavated almost 40 years ago, an anthropological analysis was performed for the first time in 2017. As in the 1980s the importance of physical anthropology was still not fully recognized, physical anthropologists were few in number, and anthropological analyses
were rarely carried out. It was common for the skeletal material to be reburied, therefore, we believe that this skeletal material was preserved only by chance. Although only a small part of the graves was found (two from Rudine and five from Svetinja), the results of the analysis show the presence of metabolic diseases, congenital deformation, traumatic injuries, and even interpersonal violence, which represent an important addition to archaeological and historical knowledge about life in medieval Serbia.
identification, descriptions, and differential diagnoses of the anomaly were performed using morphological analyses and radiographic means. This article aims to present a case of fusion of two adjacent primary teeth displayed by a non-adult and analyze the applications and the potential of microcomputed tomography (Micro-CT) in the analysis of tooth crown and
root canal morphology in dental anomalies.
brought to light an unusual discovery – immured and decapitated statues of saints together with a pile of human bones. The sculptures
were carved in wood and dated to the first half of the 14th century according to experts. Two of them were identified as the Virgin Mary
and St. John the Evangelist. The third one may be St. Domingo de Silos or St. Thomas.
An anthropological analysis of the bones revealed that at least 12 individuals were buried there. Of that number, 7 were adults, 4 infants
and 1 new-born. Pathological changes of the bones indicated poor dental health, non-specific stress indicators and traumas.
Immurement, as a method of execution, existed in various epochs. However, in the case of the remains from the church of St. Domingo,
the position of the bones pointed out that it was the secondary burial. However, it is very strange that the bones were buried in such an
unusual place, knowing that a necropolis was located nearby. Possible reasons for that will be discussed in this article.
Open access - free download https://www.ajaonline.org/article/4180
The Constitution of the Nuns gives very detailed rules about every aspect of the life in a monastery. The main tasks were praying, contemplation and manual work. Although the importance and the necessity of work were so much emphasized, it is not specified what kind of work it had to be. It appears that it was more important to avoid idleness, by doing whatever would keep one busy, than to contribute economically to the community, although any extra income was appreciated.
On the contrary, according to Rey (2009), Spanish monasteries were more centres of consumption than of production. This claim was established on the basis of her study of monasteries' expense books, as well as on the fact that nuns were of noble status and probably not used to work. In Rey’s opinion, most of the work was performed by lay sisters, who were employed in the external service of the convent and belonged to lower social status.
In order to test this claim skeletal markers of activity and repetitive traumas, such as entheseal changes, Schmorl's nodes, Charles’ facet, squatting facets, discal hernias, jumper knee, os acromiale and markers of occupational stress on teeth were analysed and compared between three monastic and three female secular populations.
The obtained results proved that occupational markers were equally presented in monastic and secular populations (or in some cases even more presented in the monastic populations), which can lead to the conclusion that nuns did perform physical labour, probably even from sub-adult period.
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(n = 7) suggest the animals consumed at the convent came from diverse ecosystems or were raised under a range of management strategies. The human samples reflect a terrestrial diet, and those from the nineteenth to twentieth century, in some cases, reveal the presence of C4 plants (millet, corn or sugar cane). Due to their religious practice, the consumption of terrestrial animal protein was
restricted, and although they were allowed to eat fish, the isotopic signatures show little evidence of this. The individuals from the sixteenth and seventeenth century show a continuous shift in δ15N (9.7–12.7‰), with few significant differences in relation to the period, age, or pathologies (osteoporosis, periostitis, and brucellosis). The nineteenth- to twentieth-century samples can be divided into two groups: (a) one that fits the trend of previous centuries, albeit with a higher δ15N, possibly related to extensive access to animal protein; and (b) a second group with elevated δ13C values (up to − 15.7‰). Different customs in the assumed homogeneous monastic
life are discussed as possible sources of isotopic variation, including access to luxury products such as animal protein or sugar, or the practice of periods of food abstinence, which were especially popular with these communities, according to historical records.
In 2015, during the excavation of the necropolis of the Roman site Viminacium (eastern Serbia), dated to Late Antiquity, human skeletal remains of a young female, showing visible pathological changes, were found in grave G-5663, trench 478. Epiphyses of femurs, tibias and the right radius did not show any sign of fusion, although the third molar had already erupted, which could lead to the conclusion that a developmental delay occurred. Macroscopic examination of the
skeleton revealed porotic changes and new bone formation that were visible on all the long bones and skull - most likely connected to scurvy (vitamin C deficiency).
Sorprendió durante su estudio antropológico y paleopatológico la aparición de una gran cantidad de patologías antemortem relacionadas con la columna vertebra l de origen muy diverso (infeccioso,
traumático, congénito, degenerativo) así como la presencia de diversas variedades anatómicas.
Se realizaron análisis radiográficos y de scaner para intentar establecer un diagnóstico en cada caso.
En total, 21 individuos presentaban nódulos de Schmorl, 22 patología artrósica, dos una fuerte escoliosis, en dos fueron apreciados signos de Pedro Pons, una persona presentaba una fractura por aplastamiento de una vértebra torácica, otro una fractura de sacro consolidada, un caso de espina bifida oculta y dos casos de espondilolisis.
Esta elevada tasa de patología vertebral en una muestra de tan solo 28 individuos, creemos que puede ser debida, entre otros factores, a una actividad laboral muy importante desde una edad muy temprana, con gran exigencia para la columna vertebral y a una vida de tipo rural con un contacto íntimo con los animales.
We would like to present 6 cases from two necropolises, quite separated in time and space, but with common features of the disease on the affected individuals.
One of the cases is from a sample of 95 adult skulls found in the tomb of Momthemhat (Luxor, Egypt), in the time frame between the I and II century AD.
The other five cases are from the seventeenth-century necropolis excavated in the Claustro del Infante Don Juan Manuel (Belmonte, Spain). In this necropolis 84 individuals have been exhumed; 68 females, 6 males and 10 indeterminated, all aged from 15 to 60 years of age. Documentation of that period indicates that mostly nuns were buried in that cloister.
Radiography was performed on all the cases from both necropolises in order to establish the correct diagnosis.
Of the six cases 5 were women and one was a man. All of them were between 45 and 50 years of age.
En el yacimiento de Cerro de las Cabezas (VI-II a.C.) se exhumó un depósito formado por dos esqueletos humanos, varias piezas de ajuar y seis grandes cornamentas de ciervo, algunas de más de un metro de longitud.
Podemos asegurar que se trata de un funeral único (los individuos fueron enterrados en un intervalo de tiempo corto después de la muerte) y una sepultura primaria (su emplazamiento se realiza en un depósito que será el definitivo). Pero lo más interesante fue la constatación de que ambos individuos sufrieron una muerte traumática.
En el Individuo A, un hombre entre 35 y 45 años, hemos observado en el fémur derecho unas huellas de haber sufrido un corte con un arma de hoja grande y muy afilada, del tipo de una espada, un hacha o un machete. El golpe se produjo en la parte posterior y lateral del tercio distal del fémur.
En el Individuo B, un hombre entre 40 y 59 años, la posición de su cabeza no se puede explicar nada más que por una decapitación perimortem.
La importancia del hallazgo viene justificada por la gran escasez de restos humanos de época ibérica en la Península Ibérica, ya que los rituales funerarios ibéricos se basan en la cremación del individuo.
La aparición de un rico ajuar, la disposición de los cadáveres, su muerte violenta y su localización en la necrópolis (en la muralla del poblado), nos induce a pensar en una muerte ritual, con fines punitivos o de ofrenda para proteger la ciudad.
La etiología más probable para todos ellos es accidental, vinculada a caídas y golpes, traumatología en sintonía con la vida rural de esta población dedicada a la ganadería, principalmente, y también a la agricultura de secano. Si bien en ninguno de los casos presentados la lesión puede causar la muerte del individuo, muchas de ellas debieron traducirse en dolor o deficiencias mecánicas crónicas que, aún así, parece que no fueron impedimento para que los individuos continuaran con su actividad diaria normal.
Entre estos traumas destacar la tibia con Osgood-Schlatter, por existir pocos ejemplos paleopatológicos de esta enfermedad en fase activa, y el fémur con deslizamiento lateral de la cabeza femoral, por ser una patología de diagnóstico complicado.
Material y métodos: El análisis del material exhumado en el monasterio de San Jerónimo (Madrid) incluye 22 tumbas individuales y 5 conjuntos de huesos (rellenos y acumulaciones). Se llevó a cabo un análisis antropológico, paleopatológico e isotópico de los restos.
Principales resultados: Todos los individuos, cuyo sexo fue posible estimar, eran hombres adultos. Se han observado numerosas diferencias entre ellos, tanto en su robustez como en los marcadores de estrés pero, sorprendentemente, también en su alimentación. Tratándose de una comunidad religiosa, que teóricamente debería haber tenido una dieta homogénea (los mismos alimentos y en las mismas cantidades) y con restricciones religiosas (ayunos), los resultados isotópicos muestran importantes diferencias entre individuos. También se anotaron varias enfermedades infecciosas, entre las cuales un posible caso de sífilis (enfermedad de transmisión sexual) sin duda es lo que llama mayormente la atención.
Conclusiones: Con estos resultados, se observan grandes diferencias en la forma de vida entre los individuos que formaban esta comunidad religiosa y que, en algunos casos, parece indicar que los votos no eran totalmente respetados. Es posible que la cercanía con la Corona hubiera podido otorgar a estos monjes mayores privilegios y libertades y una relajación en el cumplimiento de las estrictas normas de la orden.
They would also often choose to reutilize Roman buildings and one of the examples of that practice is Roman Villa in Santa Lucia that was converted to a Visigoth church and necropolis, using the floor of the villa and terma for burials.
The first excavation of this site was performed between 1968-1972,
discovering the remains of beautiful mosaics, ceramic objects, luxurious jewellery and objects of everyday use. Unfortunately, as the knowledge of the importance of the anthropological and paleopathological study of human remains was not still widespread in that epoch, the remains were not preserved. However, in 2018 new excavation led by the museum of Segovia and Curso Practico de Antropologia Fisica brought to light new and interesting results that can shed new information regarding the “newcomers” in the Iberian Peninsula.
It is manifested by a partial or complete absence of the diploë of the calvarium at the site and by corresponding thinness of the skull in the involved portion.
The characteristic site of bilateral parietal thinning is the area between the sagittal suture and the parietal prominence. The inner table is usually intact.
The condition is slowly progressing and painless, therefore it is usually discovered by chance.
However, it is important to recognize it in anthropological context and not to mistake it with trauma, tumour or trepanation.
The study of skeletal remains from two monastic necropoles, both found in the abandoned Convent of Santa Catalina de Siena in Belmonte, dating from the 16th-18th and 19th-20th century, confirmed the presence of two non-adults, aged 11.5±1 and 16.5±1 years, in the Early Modern age necropolis. Pathological changes, pointing to metabolic stress, were noted in both individuals. The older individual had poor dental health.
Taking into account the fact that the remains were found in the necropolis where nuns were buried (and not in the civil cemetery) it is more likely that those non-adults were novices than orphans. Although it is not clear from their skeletal remains what the cause of their death was, it is possible that a sudden switch to life in cloister, which included hard physical work, reduced alimentation and fasting, could have produced a sort of metabolic shock, especially knowing the fact that most of the girls came from a high class of society.
AssociationThe restoration works on the church of El Salvador in Toledo (Spain) which was carried out in 2008 brought to light a cemetery from 16th - 18th century. On one of the individual buried there (a female, aged 40-59) possible signs of venereal syphilis were noted. The periostic reaction in the postcranial skeleton was noted on the tibia and the clavicles, while lesions called caries sicca, typical for advanced stages of the disease, were noted on the skull.
The analysis of the presence of mercury in bones was performed in order to discover if she was exposed to mercury treatment, which was at that time considered to be the cure for syphilis. The analysis confirmed that the concentration of mercury in the bones of this individual was much higher than in the other two buried next to her. This suggests that there was an attempt of curing, although it is hard to say if that had any effects, or it even had a counter effect.
The same individual had various lines of enamel hypoplasia on teeth, coxa valga, bowing of long bones in lower extremities (suggesting residual rickets) and severe fractures of the sternum and the left arm with irregular alignment (the arm was shorter and curved). While coxa valga could be a congenital deformity, bowing of long bones and enamel hypoplasia suggested physiological stress in childhood. It is not very clear at which moment of her life the fracture of arm and sternum occurred, but is obvious that she lived a long time with this condition as it altered the complete morphology of the arm and created a significant amount of secondary (posttraumatic) osteoarthrosis.
The examples like this point out to a synergistic effect of diseases and the need for a new, more comprehensive approach to paleopathology.
finally, there are researchers that relate it to acute inflammatory atrophy associated with trauma, primary and metastatic tumours, the Gorham-Stout disease, diabetes mellitus, and, in actual clinical practice, a prolonged steroid therapy.
Five skulls with this pathology were discovered in the necropolis excavated inside of cloister of Infante Don Juan Manuel (Belmonte, Spain). In this necropolis 84 individuals have been exhumed;
74 females, 3 males and 7 indeterminate, all aged from 14-16 to more than 60 years of age. Documentation of that period indicates that mostly nuns were buried in that cloister.
Radiography was performed on all the cases from both necropolises in order to establish the correct diagnosis.
All of them were woman, four of them aged between 40-50 to more than 60 years, and in one case it was impossible to determinate the precise age.
Keywords: Paleopathology, Diploe, Disease, Nuns, Menopause
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Resumen
El adelgazamiento bilateral de los huesos parietales es una enfermedad descrita desde el siglo XVIII, aunque no hay unanimidad en cuanto a su etiología: algunos lo han considerado como una variedad anatómica o una displasia congénita no progresiva del díploe, otros una enfermedad
adquirida y progresiva, otros lo relacionan con la senilidad, la osteoporosis, diversos defectos del crecimiento, o incluso provocada por una presión constante en esta zona del cráneo, y por último, hay investigadores que lo relacionan con una atrofa inflamatoria aguda asociada a un trauma, tumores primarios y metastásicos, la enfermedad de Gorham-Stout, la diabetes mellitus, y, en clínica actual, a una terapia prolongada de esteroides. Estudios actuales lo asocian con la osteoporosis senil post-menopáusica.
Los cinco casos provienen de una necrópolis del siglo XVI-XVII excavada en el Claustro del Infante Don Juan Manuel, en Belmonte (España). En esta necrópolis se exhumaron 84 individuos (74 mujeres, 3 hombres y 7 indeterminados), con edades comprendidas entre los 14-16 y más de 60
años. Documentación de la época indica que en este claustro se enterraba preferentemente a las monjas que habitaban el convento.
En todos los casos y en ambas necrópolis se realizaron radiografías para establecer un correcto diagnóstico.
Todos los cráneos pertenecen a mujeres. Cuatro de ellas con una edad entre 40-50 y más de 60 años, y un caso donde fue imposible determinar la edad.
Palabras clave: Paleopatología, Díploe, Enfermedad, Monjas, Menopausia
https://osteoresearch.com/
The workshop will try to bring closer radiological methods to anthropologists. Learn basic information on the use of X-ray, mobile X-ray, CT, micro CT and postprocessing with "hands-on" approach.
The participants will be able to send their own material for radiological analysis before the workshop.
This intensive online program will allow students to learn the same methods and techniques used by professional researchers, while #stayathome. Students will be able to attend online classes and online practice (using the live streaming platform), have access to scientific papers and multimedia material, ask questions and participate in a debate.
https://paleoradiologyworkshop.wordpress.com/
Aguilafuente (Segovia, Spain)
FECHAS 7-21 JULIO 2019
Curso intensivo de 7-15 días.