Peer Reviewed Journal Articles by Tosha Dupras
Excavations at the site of Amheida (ancient Trimithis), Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt have identified a Ch... more Excavations at the site of Amheida (ancient Trimithis), Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt have identified a Christian church (Building 7), dated to the 4th century CE. While other 4th century churches have been identified in the Dakhleh Oasis and elsewhere in Egypt, the unexpected discovery of burials and a subterranean crypt distinguishes this church as unique in possibly hosting the earliest known example of a funerary crypt in Egypt. Excavations to date have revealed eight burials, five within the church complex, and three in the crypt. Four of the burials inside the church have been investigated; the remaining ones
will be the subject of excavation in future seasons. Little is known about the use of early Christian churches as mortuary complexes, particularly who was allowed to be buried in
these buildings and if there was a correlation between social hierarchy of the deceased and proximity of his/her burial to the area of the sanctuary. Here we present our findings on
four of the individuals buried within the church. Analyses indicate that two individuals were adult males, one was an adult female, and the other was an approximately 15-17
year-old female. One of the adult males, aged 45 to 50 years at death, displayed a myriad of pathological conditions most likely linked to a major traumatic event. The adult female, aged 30 to 35 years at death, and the other adult male, aged 35 to 40 years of age, both showed few pathological conditions beyond healed fractures. The young female displayed a number of lytic lesions that may have been related to a metastatic cancer. The demographic profile and pathological conditions of these individuals challenge the notion of who might be buried in such a church complex. The combination of archaeological and skeletal evidence allows us to further understand who these individuals were, and how such a complex was used in the 4th century CE.
The present study evaluates a fetal skeleton (B532) from the Romano-Byzantine period Kellis 2 cem... more The present study evaluates a fetal skeleton (B532) from the Romano-Byzantine period Kellis 2 cemetery (circa A.D. 50–A.D. 450), in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. This skeleton displays abnormal skeletal characteristics consisting of severe bowing of the long bones. Differential diagnoses using macroscopic and
radiographic analyses indicate that this individual’s pathological condition was caused by osteogenesis imperfecta (IO), possibly Type IIB/III, or Type IV OI, corroborating with characteristics reported in the clinical literature. Due to the severe bowing of the long bones, traditional aging methods could not be used for this individual. Baysian estimates of age indicate this individual was a fetus of approximately 38 weeks gestation. Although this condition has been diagnosed previously in the archeological literature, this burial represents the youngest aged example of osteogenesis imperfecta reported to date.
This study utilizes metric analysis to examine size and shape variation between hyoids of African... more This study utilizes metric analysis to examine size and shape variation between hyoids of Africans and Europeans in the Robert J. Terry Anatomical Collection. A total of 200 fused and unfused hyoids were measured and three statistical methods were employed to explore variation between ancestries. First, independent sample t-tests showed that some significant size differences do occur between ancestries. Second, to examine shape variation, skeletal measurements were regressed on the geometric mean using least squares linear regression with the residuals used to evaluate size-corrected shape differences. Finally, discriminant function analysis was used to develop two functions for ancestry prediction with overall accuracies of 73% and 77%. Results of the analyses suggest hyoid size and shape differences occur between ancestries, notably that European hyoids are broader than African hyoids, while the African hyoid is longer than Europeans.
This article explores size differences related to sex in the hyoid bones from the Robert J. Terry... more This article explores size differences related to sex in the hyoid bones from the Robert J. Terry Anatomical Collection. A series of measurements were taken from 398 hyoids, both fused and unfused. The inclusion of unfused hyoids in the study provides
the opportunity to investigate previously unknown size
differences between sexes as well as to determine their utility in determining sex. Two-way ANOVA was used to explore differences in hyoid size as related to ancestry and sex. Discriminant function analysis was employed to test the ability of the hyoids to be classified by sex. Six discriminant function equations ranging in accuracy from 82% to 85% are provided, each of which is more accurate than many of the discriminant functions developed in past hyoid research, are simple to use, and can be used to estimate the sex of a hyoid regardless of its
state of fusion. In addition to providing further information
about the morphological form of the hyoid, these
analyses provide a method that can be easily employed
to assess sex of the individual from the hyoid bone.
Practical Diabetes …, Jan 1, 2010
The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus from skeletal remains is very difficult given the complexity o... more The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus from skeletal remains is very difficult given the complexity of the disease and the fact that there are no pathological skeletal characteristics exclusively associated with diabetes mellitus. Skeletal identification of diabetes mellitus may only be possible through differential diagnosis, when several pathological changes are present. Skeletal and dental changes associated with diabetes mellitus include Charcot’s joint (neuropathic arthropathy), osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH, or Forestier’s disease), adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), dental caries, periodontal disease, and antemortem tooth loss. Skeletal remains of an adult male from the Egyptian archaeological site of Dayr al Barsha, dated to the Middle Kingdom (ca. 2055–1650 BC), display a myriad of pathological conditions that, when considered together, likely indicate diabetes mellitus, specifically type 2 diabetes mellitus. This diagnosis represents the earliest, and possibly the only recorded archaeological skeletal evidence for this disease.
International …, Jan 1, 2010
The use of surgical techniques in ancient Egyptian medicine has only been suggested indirectly th... more The use of surgical techniques in ancient Egyptian medicine has only been suggested indirectly through ancient medical texts and iconography, and there is no evidence of amputation as a means of therapeutic medical treatment. This paper presents four cases of amputation from the archaeological site of Dayr al-Barsha, Egypt. Two of the cases (dated to the First Intermediate and Middle Kingdom periods, respectively) are from individuals that display bilateral amputations of the feet, one through the metatarso- phalangeal joints, the other a transmetatarsal amputation. The exact reason for the amputation, perhaps from trauma or disease, is unknown. The particular healing patterns of the distal ends of the amputations suggest these individuals used foot binding or prosthetic devices. Another case represents a healed amputation of the left ulna near the elbow, dated to the Old Kingdom. The final case represents a perimortem amputation of the distal end of the right humerus. The exact date of this individual is unknown, but most likely pertains to the Old Kingdom or First Intermediate period. This individual seems to have suffered a traumatic incident shortly before death, sustaining many fractures, including a butterfly fracture on the right humerus. Several cut marks were identified on top of the butterfly fracture, indicating amputation of the arm at this point. All four cases support the hypothesis that the ancient Egyptians did use amputation as a therapeutic medical treatment for particular diseases or trauma.
Journal of forensic sciences, Jan 1, 2009
There is a gap in the literature concerning the chemical effects that household products may prod... more There is a gap in the literature concerning the chemical effects that household products may produce on human remains. The present study examines the effects of household chemical products on teeth. A total of eight chemicals were utilized for this experiment. The corrosive chemical categories include: hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and sodium hydroxide. Two products with each chemical were used, each representing varying concentrations of the corrosive product. Two human teeth were allocated for emergence in the chemical throughout a 24 h period of exposure. Results demonstrate hydrochloric acid as the most detrimental chemical to the dental samples. Sulfuric acid enacted minimal alterations to the teeth, although some etching and discoloration were noticeable. Phosphoric acid resulted in variable changes of the organic and inorganic contents of teeth. Lastly, exposure of sodium hydroxide resulted in little to no change. As hypothesized, distinct effects are observable of each chemical.
Journal of Archaeological …, Jan 1, 2009
Wide-field polarized light and epifluorescence microscopy have been used to enhance analysis of a... more Wide-field polarized light and epifluorescence microscopy have been used to enhance analysis of archaeological bone tissue, providing information on bone formation, modeling, pathology, preservation, age estimation, and biomechanics. Though valuable, these techniques are limited by their inability to remove out-of-focus light and view multiple levels of a sample, restricting our understanding of the three dimensional (3-D) microarchitecture of compact bone. Modern technological advances, such as microscopic computerized tomography, allow increasing resolution in 3-D bone imaging, but do not allow fluorescence labeling or polarized-light analysis. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is a valuable tool for 3-D histology. However, its application to the study of compact bone is lacking, especially in archaeological and forensic sciences. The current study investigated CLSM as a tool for fluorescence and polarized light microscopy of archaeological compact bone in order to demonstrate its advantages. Standard techniques and CLSM are compared in their suitability for imaging well preserved archaeological bones from the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. CLSM’s high resolution, multi-channel, two- and three dimensional capabilities augment the flexibility and creativity of compact bone imaging and have the potential to increase the accuracy of quantitative medical and anthropological histomorphometric techniques. CLSM is specifically suggested as a useful tool for the investigation of ancient bone fluorescence caused by the presence of tetracycline and/or other fluorochromes.
American Journal of …, Jan 1, 2001
Studies of infant feeding and weaning patterns in past populations that rely on a cross-sectional... more Studies of infant feeding and weaning patterns in past populations that rely on a cross-sectional approach must make the assumption that no infant mortality bias exists. Previous investigations of infant weaning patterns at the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, relied on cross-sectional isotope data. In this study, we re-examine this weaning pattern, using a simulated longitudinal approach, which does not require any assumptions regarding potential infant mortality biases. This involves examining the dental isotopic signatures of individuals
who survived the weaning process. Stable isotope signatures from juveniles and adults (102 individuals, 297 teeth) were examined to reconstruct the weaning history of those that survived the weaning process. Both deciduous and permanent teeth were sampled. Homogenized enamel and dentin samples were isolated from each tooth and analyzed for d13Cap and d18Oap from the enamel and d15Ncoll and d13Ccoll from dentin collagen. We investigate differences between in utero versus postbirth, preweaning versus postweaning, and juvenile versus adult stable isotope values as reflected in the dentition. A random permutation procedure was used to test for statistically significant differences in stable isotope values between tooth types. Statistically significant differences were observed in all stable isotopes between permanent and deciduous teeth, and between early and later forming permanent teeth in d13Cap and d15Ncoll isotopes. These results indicate dietary change between in utero and postbirth, and changes occurring during the weaning period. These results provide a more comprehensive picture of infant weaning practices at Kellis and provide further support that complete weaning occurred by 3 years of age.
Molecular and cellular …, Jan 1, 2006
Since the 1950s, tetracycline (TC) administration has been used to create fluorescent ‘labels’ in... more Since the 1950s, tetracycline (TC) administration has been used to create fluorescent ‘labels’ in bone for histomorphometric analysis. Similar fluorescence discovered in ancient human bone from Egypt and Sudan has been attributed to bacterially contaminated food-stores. It has been suggested that TC from this source could have affected the health of exposed ancient populations. However, no efficient means for the quantitative comparison of fluorescent labels within or between individuals or populations has been proposed. In the current study, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was shown to be an effective tool for fluorescence detection and spectral analysis in bone. Well- preserved archaeological bone recovered from the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt was compared to modern pig bone labeled with tetracycline and stained decalcified dog bone. TC fluorescence, whether archaeological or modern, was accurately identifiable by its spectrum. Photobleaching experiments suggest some difference exists in the photoresilience of archaeological and modern TC labels and that scans of one plane and area of focus can be made for more than an hour without complete loss of signal intensity. Results encourage the use of CLSM imaging and spectral analysis for further study on the nature of fluorescence in ancient and modern bone.
Bones of the Ancestors: The Archaeology and …, Jan 1, 2003
Homicide Studies, Jan 1, 2008
Journal of Archaeological Science, Jan 1, 2001
This study utilizes a combination of both stable oxygen and nitrogen isotope ratios to determine ... more This study utilizes a combination of both stable oxygen and nitrogen isotope ratios to determine migration patterns for a large sample of human remains from the Kellis 2 cemetery (c. AD 250) in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. Stable oxygen isotopic analysis has been used to identify potential migrants in several different populations. In this study, the data resultant from the combination of oxygen isotope ratios from bone apatite and nitrogen isotope ratios from bone collagen indicate that at least two individuals are not native to the Oasis, as shown by their lower nitrogen values and more positive oxygen isotopes, approaching values documented for residents of the Nile Valley and Nubia. The most isotopically istinctive individual is lepromatous, suggesting that he may have been exiled to the oasis from the Nile Valley. Interestingly, all individuals who have different isotope values are male, supporting the idea that males may have been involved in caravan trade between the Oasis and the Nile Valley.
Current knowledge of infant feeding and weaning practices during the Roman period in Egypt is lim... more Current knowledge of infant feeding and weaning practices during the Roman period in Egypt is limited to scanty documentary and iconographic evidence. Stable nitrogen and carbon isotope analysis provides another avenue to explore this question. A sample of 49 infant and juvenile human skeletal remains from the Kellis 2 cemetery in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt, was used to determine patterns of infant feeding and weaning. d15N values indicate that supplementary foods were introduced at around 6 months of age, and that weaning was complete by 3 years of age. By 6 months of age, d13C values become increasingly enriched over adult values, and reach peak enrichment at approximately 1.5 years of age. Beyond this age, d13C gradually declines to approach adult values. This enrichment in infant d13C values is indicative of consumption of 13C enriched supplementary foods. Based on isotopic study of faunal and botanical remains from the ancient village of Kellis, we conclude that at approximately 6 months of age, infants were fed milk of goat and/or cow.
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Peer Reviewed Journal Articles by Tosha Dupras
will be the subject of excavation in future seasons. Little is known about the use of early Christian churches as mortuary complexes, particularly who was allowed to be buried in
these buildings and if there was a correlation between social hierarchy of the deceased and proximity of his/her burial to the area of the sanctuary. Here we present our findings on
four of the individuals buried within the church. Analyses indicate that two individuals were adult males, one was an adult female, and the other was an approximately 15-17
year-old female. One of the adult males, aged 45 to 50 years at death, displayed a myriad of pathological conditions most likely linked to a major traumatic event. The adult female, aged 30 to 35 years at death, and the other adult male, aged 35 to 40 years of age, both showed few pathological conditions beyond healed fractures. The young female displayed a number of lytic lesions that may have been related to a metastatic cancer. The demographic profile and pathological conditions of these individuals challenge the notion of who might be buried in such a church complex. The combination of archaeological and skeletal evidence allows us to further understand who these individuals were, and how such a complex was used in the 4th century CE.
radiographic analyses indicate that this individual’s pathological condition was caused by osteogenesis imperfecta (IO), possibly Type IIB/III, or Type IV OI, corroborating with characteristics reported in the clinical literature. Due to the severe bowing of the long bones, traditional aging methods could not be used for this individual. Baysian estimates of age indicate this individual was a fetus of approximately 38 weeks gestation. Although this condition has been diagnosed previously in the archeological literature, this burial represents the youngest aged example of osteogenesis imperfecta reported to date.
the opportunity to investigate previously unknown size
differences between sexes as well as to determine their utility in determining sex. Two-way ANOVA was used to explore differences in hyoid size as related to ancestry and sex. Discriminant function analysis was employed to test the ability of the hyoids to be classified by sex. Six discriminant function equations ranging in accuracy from 82% to 85% are provided, each of which is more accurate than many of the discriminant functions developed in past hyoid research, are simple to use, and can be used to estimate the sex of a hyoid regardless of its
state of fusion. In addition to providing further information
about the morphological form of the hyoid, these
analyses provide a method that can be easily employed
to assess sex of the individual from the hyoid bone.
who survived the weaning process. Stable isotope signatures from juveniles and adults (102 individuals, 297 teeth) were examined to reconstruct the weaning history of those that survived the weaning process. Both deciduous and permanent teeth were sampled. Homogenized enamel and dentin samples were isolated from each tooth and analyzed for d13Cap and d18Oap from the enamel and d15Ncoll and d13Ccoll from dentin collagen. We investigate differences between in utero versus postbirth, preweaning versus postweaning, and juvenile versus adult stable isotope values as reflected in the dentition. A random permutation procedure was used to test for statistically significant differences in stable isotope values between tooth types. Statistically significant differences were observed in all stable isotopes between permanent and deciduous teeth, and between early and later forming permanent teeth in d13Cap and d15Ncoll isotopes. These results indicate dietary change between in utero and postbirth, and changes occurring during the weaning period. These results provide a more comprehensive picture of infant weaning practices at Kellis and provide further support that complete weaning occurred by 3 years of age.
will be the subject of excavation in future seasons. Little is known about the use of early Christian churches as mortuary complexes, particularly who was allowed to be buried in
these buildings and if there was a correlation between social hierarchy of the deceased and proximity of his/her burial to the area of the sanctuary. Here we present our findings on
four of the individuals buried within the church. Analyses indicate that two individuals were adult males, one was an adult female, and the other was an approximately 15-17
year-old female. One of the adult males, aged 45 to 50 years at death, displayed a myriad of pathological conditions most likely linked to a major traumatic event. The adult female, aged 30 to 35 years at death, and the other adult male, aged 35 to 40 years of age, both showed few pathological conditions beyond healed fractures. The young female displayed a number of lytic lesions that may have been related to a metastatic cancer. The demographic profile and pathological conditions of these individuals challenge the notion of who might be buried in such a church complex. The combination of archaeological and skeletal evidence allows us to further understand who these individuals were, and how such a complex was used in the 4th century CE.
radiographic analyses indicate that this individual’s pathological condition was caused by osteogenesis imperfecta (IO), possibly Type IIB/III, or Type IV OI, corroborating with characteristics reported in the clinical literature. Due to the severe bowing of the long bones, traditional aging methods could not be used for this individual. Baysian estimates of age indicate this individual was a fetus of approximately 38 weeks gestation. Although this condition has been diagnosed previously in the archeological literature, this burial represents the youngest aged example of osteogenesis imperfecta reported to date.
the opportunity to investigate previously unknown size
differences between sexes as well as to determine their utility in determining sex. Two-way ANOVA was used to explore differences in hyoid size as related to ancestry and sex. Discriminant function analysis was employed to test the ability of the hyoids to be classified by sex. Six discriminant function equations ranging in accuracy from 82% to 85% are provided, each of which is more accurate than many of the discriminant functions developed in past hyoid research, are simple to use, and can be used to estimate the sex of a hyoid regardless of its
state of fusion. In addition to providing further information
about the morphological form of the hyoid, these
analyses provide a method that can be easily employed
to assess sex of the individual from the hyoid bone.
who survived the weaning process. Stable isotope signatures from juveniles and adults (102 individuals, 297 teeth) were examined to reconstruct the weaning history of those that survived the weaning process. Both deciduous and permanent teeth were sampled. Homogenized enamel and dentin samples were isolated from each tooth and analyzed for d13Cap and d18Oap from the enamel and d15Ncoll and d13Ccoll from dentin collagen. We investigate differences between in utero versus postbirth, preweaning versus postweaning, and juvenile versus adult stable isotope values as reflected in the dentition. A random permutation procedure was used to test for statistically significant differences in stable isotope values between tooth types. Statistically significant differences were observed in all stable isotopes between permanent and deciduous teeth, and between early and later forming permanent teeth in d13Cap and d15Ncoll isotopes. These results indicate dietary change between in utero and postbirth, and changes occurring during the weaning period. These results provide a more comprehensive picture of infant weaning practices at Kellis and provide further support that complete weaning occurred by 3 years of age.