To use the prevalence of prenatal/infancy interglobular dentine (IGD) as a proxy for suboptimal vitamin D status and explore its link to mortality, biological sex, cultural behaviours and environmental factors during the end of the pre-industrial/ beginning of the industrial period.
50 skeletons from the St. Antoine cemetery (1799–1854), Montreal, Quebec with a well-preserved first mandibular molar.
Thin sections were prepared for histological examination of IGD in crown dentine.
IGD prevalence was 74 % (37/50) and not significantly correlated statistically to sex and age-at-death. Most IGD occurred at birth and up to 3 years-old, six individuals were affected in utero, 54 % of the sample (27/50) presented longstanding IGD and six individuals displayed multiple IGD episodes.
Prenatal IGD episodes revealed suboptimal maternal vitamin D levels, which, alongside a high frequency of IGD episodes around birth/from birth until a certain age, suggest cultural influences. Multiple and longstanding IGD episodes might also reflect suboptimal seasonal vitamin D attainment.
This study provides in-depth data on IGD within a relatively large archaeological North American sample, proving relevant to epidemiological studies on suboptimal vitamin status in 19th century Montreal.
The total number of IGD episodes is underestimated due to methodological biases; first-generation migrants in this study could not be identified and excluded from the sample.
Use of a larger sample with a wider age-at-death range; further research on infants and children to investigate links between growth and lesion formation and visibility.
Biological anthropologists frequently explore skeletal asymmetry, together with population health and disease. Given the conflicting findings in existing literature, this study aimed to clarify whether an association exists in a South African sample.
Dry bone and cranial micro-focus X-ray Computed Tomography (micro-XCT) scans of 115 South African individuals were assessed.
Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) indices were calculated from interlandmark distances, and the frequency of four types of non-specific signs of physiological stress were documented to explore the relationship between FA and disease.
Black South Africans did not exhibit a high FA index; however, they had the highest prevalence of non-specific signs of physiological stress. However, no significant correlations were detected between FA indices and pathological lesions.
No correlation was observed between FA and populations from different socio-economic backgrounds. However, individuals of lower socio-economic status (SES) demonstrated a greater prevalence of non-specific signs of physiological stress.
This research suggests that skeletal indicators of stress may be a suitable biological marker for assessing differences in SES among population groups, while indicating that levels of cranial FA is an inadequate biological marker.
Possible limitations may include measurement error, and the lack of information on the life history and medical records of individuals in this sample.
Future research should include a larger sample with more South African groups, and should evaluate the potential association among age, FA, and expression of skeletal markers of disease.
The first case of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) in Greece is presented. LCPD, a rare disease, is discussed using the Digital Atlas of Ancient Rare Diseases (DAARD), which tests the benefits of the database for diagnosing and contextualizing the new case with 42 archaeological cases of LCPD recorded in the DAARD.
A 30–40-year-old, probable male individual was found at the archaeological site of Olympia, Greece, dating to 500–700 CE.
Biological sex, age-at-death and pathological changes were investigated using macroscopic and osteometric methods. The DAARD provided the typical characteristics of LCPD.
Pathological changes in both hip joints without any other related changes in the skeleton corresponded to the skeletal features of LCPD. The DAARD produced 42 cases of LCPD, most of which from Europe, with a preference for male sex and unilateral involvement of the hip joint.
The DAARD aids in diagnosing rare diseases and interpreting new cases in the context of already known studies.
This study shows that the DAARD has the potential to help researchers move beyond the level of single case studies and create a broader picture of the history of rare diseases.
This paper focuses on the benefits of the DAARD in relation to LCPD but not all rare diseases have been included in the database.
More rare diseases from archaeological contexts should be added to the DAARD to create a base for the interpretation of their history and expand our understanding of rare diseases in the past.

