International Journal of Osteoarchaeology最新文献

Porcelain, or calcified, gallbladder is a finding rarely identified in archaeologically excavated remains. This study reports on an ovoid calcification found in the torso of adult skeleton from an early 20th-century mental asylum cemetery in Mississippi. The calcified object was imaged using conventional x-ray and computerized tomographic (CT) scanning (standard and micro), which produced images consistent with those of a clinically diagnosed porcelain gallbladder containing a single large gallstone. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of this medical condition, which may not be familiar to most anthropologists, and of the efficacy of CT scanning for the identification of calcified gallbladders, which may increase the number of cases reported in archaeological literature and provide more information about the prevalence of this condition, and gallbladder disease in general, in past populations.

The urban planning work carried out in the old seminary district of Lleida, over an area of more than 6,000 m², uncovered important remains of the old Cuirassa quarter. This quarter was inhabited by the Jewish aljama between the 12th century and the end of the 15th century CE. Archeological excavations have documented streets, squares, and private spaces corresponding to several houses, one of which was destroyed by the Christian assault and fire of the Jewish quarter on 13 August 1391. The study of the important archeozoological assemblages from this area has made it possible to characterize, for the first time, the dietary practices of the Jewish communities in different periods of occupation of this neighborhood. In addition, the consumption of certain non-kosher species in the late 14th century assemblages could be related with a situation of crisis or famine (which could correspond to the period after the attack of 1391), providing relevant data on the status and situation of the Jewish community in the city at that time. The results are consistent with the context defined by the historical sources, which describe an important period of decline after the attack.

Few studies have been made of the specific importance of waterfowl as food in the Baltic Sea during the late medieval and early modern period. This study shows the seasonal importance of water birds to island and coastal inhabitants living in the middle of the Baltic Sea during the late medieval and early modern periods (ca. CE 1400–1700) and practical implementations for interpretation of cut and chop marks. The paper is based on a bird bone assemblage retrieved from a remote ecclesial site on the island group of Kökar, which is part of the Åland Islands, as well as historical documents and local specialist knowledge. The site was established by Franciscan friars somewhere in the mid-15th century. Documents indicate that the friars had landownership, income from taxing nearby fisheries, and the right to seal tithe. These assets were taken over by the crown in the mid-16th century due to the Reformation and a parish church was established on the same site after the friary was dissolved. The bone assemblages from the site include birds, mammals, and fish. The material shows a relatively small number of chicken bones in relation to waterfowl, allowing one to look closer into the structural food economy around water birds for the area. The bones also show several cut and chop marks, which have been analyzed to explore the possible processing of these birds. The results show that fowling was concentrated to a couple of species most likely during spring when these species were abundant. The placement of the cut and chop marks indicates that a large number of birds were likely processed at the same time.

This study is an osteobiography of a noble couple who were members of the “ruling elite” in the 18th-century Joseon period, Korea. The archaeological context and historical records indicate that the couple lived and died during a period marked by strict observance of social hierarchy. The husband's skeleton exhibits clear evidence of craniosynostosis and spinal scoliosis. In particular, congenital craniosynostosis of the skull likely caused deformities in his craniofacial morphology during his lifetime. The physical deformities and discomforts revealed by his craniofacial and vertebral skeleton shed light on the documented passivity and frequent disruptions to his government positions. Meanwhile, his wife's age at death, 93 years, is exceptionally long. The osteological investigation suggests that she seems to have lived without severe stressors. Her skeletal remains show no evidence of occupational stress or chronic disease. Until now, our understanding of the Joseon period nobility has predominantly relied on artifacts and summaries of the deceased's life discovered in tombs, as well as written documents such as diaries, evaluation records, and letters. This study reconstructs the lives of this couple through osteological evidence, historical records, and social context. This holistic approach will provide a novel perspective for a more comprehensive understanding of the lives of nobility and intellectuals of the period.

Lynx remains are rare in archaeological assemblages. The skeleton of an adult male accompanied by four dogs was found in a large Migration Period pit at Zamárdi–Kútvölgyi-dűlő II, Hungary. Extant lynx skeletons were used in estimating the shoulder height of this individual. Its stature is comparable to those of the large dogs it was buried with. None of the five skeletons showed skinning marks. Although the physical reconstruction of the lynx was of help in appraising this special pit, the actual nature of the deposit remains in question. Possible interpretations range from the mundane discard of carcasses to the poorly understood ritual burial of carnivores, beginning with the lynx. We reviewed these options within the framework of cultural diversity of Migration Period peoples in west-central Hungary.

This commentary evaluates the assertions presented in the documentary series Code of the Wild that the skeleton of a 7-ft Manteño-Huancavilca individual allegedly recovered in the Ecuadorian village of Julcuy serves as evidence that a population of individuals of considerable stature once inhabited the region. Given that an intact femur survived a flood that occurred in Julcuy during the rainy season of 2023, it was possible to implement the Trotter and Gleser technique to determine the individual's stature with precision. By analyzing the femur of this individual, the commentary demonstrates that the stature of the individual had been grossly overestimated. This commentary reinforces the significance of mathematical formulae devised to determine living stature as opposed to rudimentary field measurements.

The Golasecca Celtic Civilization (GCC) developed in the Italian Iron Age, between the 9th and 4th centuries BCE, and is characterized by the predominant use of cremation as a funerary ritual in the Italian area. Reconstructing the steps of the cremation ritual in archaeology is a complex challenge, as many anthropic actions leave only faint traces in cremated remains. Within the funerary rituals of prehistoric and protohistoric Italy, the skull has received particular attention from numerous archaeological cultures and civilizations. The context of via Marconi 2020 (Sesto Calende, Varese, northern Italy) has allowed hinting at this practice also in GCC, through the anthropological analysis of cremated remains found in two different but spatially close tombs. The analysis of the cremated remains identified the selection of some elements of the skull of an adult individual and the post-cranium of a non-adult individual in the first tomb, and the presence of only the skull of the non-adult individual in the second tomb. The possibility of a ritual attention of the GCC reserved for the skull has been proven for the first time thanks to the analysis of these subjects. This work provides new data on funerary ritual behaviors of the GCC, allowing for a better understanding within the Italian and European panorama.

This paper explores mechanical stress in the Hellenistic/early Roman community of Menainon (Sicily) to test the existence of sex-based division of labor. For this purpose, human skeletal remains from 79 males and 65 females, dating to the 4th–1st ca. BCE, were examined for degenerative joint disease, intervertebral disc disease, cross-sectional geometric properties, and entheseal changes. Our findings support an equal share of workload between males and females, who appeared to have experienced similar mechanical stress levels. In contrast, they do not support a systematically greater mechanical load among males, as would have been expected if females had been restricted indoors taking care of domestic tasks only, while men had dealt with most physically demanding outdoor activities. The patterns identified in the current study agree with a scenario where agriculture was a prominent subsistence activity (as attested historically for this region) and most members of this rural community engaged in agricultural tasks irrespective of sex. Our study has limitations regarding the available historical and archaeological information, which restrict our ability to formulate solid research hypotheses or fully contextualize the bioarchaeological results. Nonetheless, it does highlight the importance of critically assessing historical information regarding the role of men and women in the Greco-Roman society.

A recently found cattle-based mandibular thong-smoother, which was the only bone tool in the Baden culture burial of a 6–10-year-old child at the site of Balatonlelle-Rádpuszta-Romtemplom mellett (western Hungary), represents the best-preserved Eneolithic implement in this category ever published in Hungary. Being one of the oldest specimens from the distribution area of mandibular thong-smoothers, it brings new information regarding the origin and possible use of this rarely identified type of tool linked to strap and thong-making in the period from the Eneolithic to the Middle Bronze Age. Having been recovered from the grave of a child, it draws attention to the possibility that children may have been involved in strap production. The evaluation of analogies from and outside of Hungary also offered a complex review of mandibular thong-smoothers. In addition to the role of these implements in taming and driving horses already discussed in the specialist literature, we also point to their involvement in the use of harnessed cattle for draught and transport, and its linkage to the spread of wagon and carriage in the wake of the 4th millennium.

The accurate comparison of prevalence rates of disease between different groups/populations is vital if we seek to contextualize our understanding of the impact of risk factors on health in the past. The majority of bioarchaeological studies of maxillary sinusitis employ the methods and “diagnostic criteria” outlined by Boocock and colleagues in 1995. However, until now, few attempts have been made to assess the inter-rater reliability of these methods. This study presents the results of the analysis of interobserver variability in the recording of bone changes related to maxillary sinusitis among three observers within three human osteoarchaeological populations. The results of Cohen's kappa coefficient tests indicated variability in agreement between different observers. The agreement on the presence/absence of maxillary sinusitis in different osteoarchaeological populations ranged from κ = 0.433 (“moderate” agreement) to κ = 0.629 (“substantial” agreement). The agreement on the type of bone change present within affected sinuses was often poor, with almost no to negative agreement for pitting (Observers 1 and 2) and remodeled spicules (Observers 1 and 3). Methodological problems that can impact consistency of results between researchers include variability in sinus preservation, duration of observer experience, the use of different endoscopic equipment, lack of clarity in the original method descriptions, and a deficit in clinical corroborations for bone changes. The results of this study highlight the need to improve standards for the recording of bone changes related to sinusitis to allow for meaningful comparisons of past maxillary sinusitis frequency rates. Further investigations of interobserver variability, incorporating a greater range of variables, are also required.