A nineteenth-century case of carcinoma of the prostate,with a note on the early history of the disease

A case of prostatic carcinoma is described in the skeleton of a named individual who died in 1834. The tumour was recognized from widespread periosteal new bone throughout the skeleton and by the presence of sclerosing metastases in many bones, including the pelvis and all the vertebrae. A number of features of the disease present here are said to be uncommon in modern patients, including spiculated periosteal new bone and some degree of spinal stenosis. In two previous cases of prostatic carcinoma described in the literature, periosteal new bone was a prominent feature and was probably responsible for the disease being recognized. It is likely that if skeletons from mature males were routinely X-rayed, considerably more cases would be noted and a more accurate estimate of the prevalence of this disease in the past would thus be ascertained. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Congenital Syphilis in the Archaeological Record: Diagnostic Insensitivity of Osseous Lesions

The paucity of convincing evidence for congenital bone lesions of syphilis in the archaeological record led to study of the human remains from the Buffalo site in West Virginia, dated at 550—650 years BP. The diagnosis of syphilis (venereal) in adults was based on previously validated population criteria for the recognition of syphilis and its distinction from among the other treponemal diseases. Among the 151 juveniles (23.3 per cent of the total series), only one had macroscopic evidence of periosteal disease. The low frequency of recognizable osseous stigmata characteristic of congenital syphilis, combined with the conspicuous absence of pathognomonic dental lesions, make such periosteal lesions insufficiently sensitive criteria for the identification of syphilis in the archaeological record. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A pre‐Columbian case of congenital syphilis from Anatolia (Nicaea, 13th century AD)

In this study, the skeleton of an approximately 15‐year‐old child, dating back to the Late Byzantine period (13th century AD) is examined with the aim of determining where this specimen fits in the continuing arguments on the origins of syphilis. It was unearthed during an excavation at an amphitheatre in Nicaea dating to the Roman period. The Nicaea specimen displays common symptoms found in the majority of people with congenital syphilis such as Hutchinson's incisor, mulberry molar, darkened enamel, radial scar on frontal bone, sabre tibia, syphilitic dactylitis, and gummatous and non‐gummatous osteomyelitis on almost every post‐cranial bone. Because of the sub‐periosteal new bone formation, the medullary spaces in some long bones are narrowed or completely obliterated. These lesions, which were observed via macroscopic and radiological examination, reflect the late stages of congenital syphilis. The specimen, when examined together with increasing numbers of other finds from the Old World, contributes to the argument that venereal syphilis did exist in the Old World before 1493, and brings forward the need to revise the Columbian hypothesis, which maintains that syphilis is a new disease carried to the Old World from the New World by Columbus' crew. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Compensatory bone remodelling in moose: a study of age,sex, and cross‐sectional cortical bone dimensions in moose at Isle Royale National Park

We studied interrelationships among age, sex, and cross‐sectional cortical bone dimensions using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) scans of metatarsal bones of 180 moose (Alces alces) that died in Isle Royale National Park, Michigan. As a large‐bodied quadruped with demanding ecological constraints on movement and behaviour, a moose experiences different weight‐bearing and mechanical stressors than humans, to whom most existing studies of mechanical adaptations of bone pertain. In moose, both sexes showed significant subperiosteal expansion and an increase in medullary area, with an overall increase in cortical bone area over time. Female moose did not exhibit cortical thinning or reduction in cross‐sectional area with age, rather they showed an increase in cortical bone area with periosteal apposition exceeding endosteal resorption, similar to the males. We also found that moose undergo changes in bone geometry through remodelling of bone similar to humans, suggesting a compensatory mechanism for increasing bone strength under conditions of decline in bone mineral density with age. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evidence of Stress Fracture in a Homo antecessor Metatarsal from Gran Dolina Site (Atapuerca,Spain)

We present the palaeopathological analysis of a right fourth metatarsal (ATD6‐124) recovered from the Atapuerca–Gran Dolina site (Spain). This fossil, ca. 1 Ma, belongs to Homo antecessor, the earliest known European hominin species. The metatarsal exhibits a proliferative lesion on its medial periosteal surface. Periosteal reaction can be the bone response to a wide number of injurious processes. We describe a lesion on the basis of macroscopic and microscopic analyses, including microtomography and scanning electron microscopy. Externally, the osteoblastic lesion presents a highly porotic and disorganised morphology. Internally, we observe a series of micro‐fractures on the compact bone that do not affect the medullary canal. We provide a differential diagnosis and suggest that the ATD6‐124 lesion could correspond to a pedal stress fracture, also known as fatigue or march fracture. Stress fractures have been related to a load increase and muscular fatigue. This type of fracture has been widely reported in the foot of soldiers and athletes, which are usually engaged in strenuous, excessive or prolonged locomotive activities. Despite its high frequency in these groups, stress fractures have not been reported as such in fossil collections, with the exception of a metatarsal belonging to the Sima de los Huesos site (Atapuerca). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Microchemical and crystallographic analysis of human bones from Nasca,Peru. A possible method of direct dating of archaeological skeletal material

This paper provides two archaeometric equations obtained by crystal–chemical parameters for dating human bone samples from the archaeological site of Nasca, Peru. Based on radiocarbon dating, the burials span from 500 BC to AD 1000. Crystal–chemical modifications in bone hydroxylapatite over time were compared with a twentieth century skeleton from Italy. Chemical analysis was carried out by means of electron microprobe along a profile from the periosteal to the endosteal border of the midshaft of four human femurs. The results indicate that the Ca/P ratio is linearly correlated with time according to the equation t=7880.68Ca/P−12805.90 (r=0.97; r²=0.95). Bone apatite X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed a systematic increase in the (002) reflection intensity with time, according to the equation t=250.49h/a−1961.86 (r=0.98; r²=0.97). The two independent archaeometric equations permit good accuracy in dating osteoarchaeological remains from the south coast area of Peru. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multiple bone tuberculosis in a child from predynastic Upper Egypt (3200 BC)

Tuberculosis, one of the most ancient human diseases, was present in ancient Egypt and has been observed since predynastic times. Excavations in the predynastic to early dynastic necropolis of Adaima, Upper Egypt (3500–2700 BC) led to the discovery of a number of remarkably well‐preserved skeletons of children. The skeletal remains of a 4.5–5‐year‐old child dated from Nagada III A2 (3200–3100 BC) displayed various lesions on the post‐cranial skeleton: spondylitis on the thoracic (T12) and lumbar (L1) vertebrae, partial lytic destruction of the right radio‐ulnar joint, lytic lesions on the scapula and a clavicle, dactylitis on the short bones of hands and feet, enlargement (spina ventosa) and periosteal new bone formation on the long bones. Radiographs show well‐defined radiolucent (cyst‐like) lesions in the metaphysis and the diaphysis of long tubular bones (ulna, radius, femur, tibia, fibula). The lesions recorded during macroscopic and radiological analysis strongly suggest a case of multiple bone tuberculosis. The occurrence of this case of tuberculosis in a child provides a picture of a period where tuberculosis must have been endemic throughout the population living during the origins of urban settlement in Upper Egypt during the predynastic period. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Differential diagnosis of an unusual tibial pathology from Peru

During an osteological analysis of human skeletal remains from the site of Punta Lobos (Huarmey Valley, northern coastal Peru), an unusual erosive lesion of the cortex with periosteal reaction was observed on a right tibia. The authors undertook a review of paleopathological and medical literature to arrive at a differential diagnosis. The lesion is determined to be a non‐malignant growth, possibly a large periosteal ganglion, though a diagnosis of periosteal chondroma (a benign neoplasm) or other uncommon neoplasm could not be definitively ruled out. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Periostitis and osteolysis in a medieval skeleton from South‐West Hungary: (Leprosy,treponematosis, tuberculosis or hypertrophic osteoarthropathy) A diagnostic challenge!

This paper uses macroscopic and radiological examinations to provide differential diagnoses of pathological lesions in the well‐preserved skeleton of a young male from the medieval site of Zalavár in South‐West Hungary. Macroscopic inspection of the skeleton revealed conspicuous thickening of the tibiae and fibulae with ‘tree bark’ appearance of the cortex. Periosteal proliferations are also found on the calcanea and on the posterior part of the femora. The metatarsals showed bony proliferation and bone dissolution. No alteration of the axial skeleton or the skull was noted. Radiographs showed thickening of the cortex of tubular bones due to a multilayered type of periosteal apposition. The likelihood of these symptoms being the result of melorheostosis, hypervitaminosis A, fluorosis, thyroid acropachy, endosteal hyperostosis, tuberculosis (TB), hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA), treponematosis and leprosy is reviewed. None completely explains the entire spectrum of pathological lesions in the current individual, but the individual may have suffered from two co‐existent diseases. As a clinical entity, the changes in the metatarsals are compatible with leprosy, whereas the periosteal proliferations of the lower limbs point to a diagnosis of HOA as a secondary syndrome. Thus, a combination of leprosy and TB is suggested as a potential diagnosis. Although not definitive, our differential diagnosis was able to exclude a number of conditions producing periosteal apposition. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rickets in a High Social Class of Renaissance Italy: The Medici Children

Exploration of the Medici Chapels in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence revealed the burials of nine juvenile members of the Medici family (16th–17th centuries). The estimated children's skeletal ages ranged from newborns to 5‐year‐olds, showing a series of bone abnormalities, in particular diffuse periosteal new bone and bowing of long bones. The comparable pathological lesions, including porosity evident on the skull, orbital roofs, costocondral ribs and growth plates between metaphyses and epiphyses, enlargement of metaphyses and sternal rib ends, and long bone bending, are interpreted as the skeletal manifestation of rickets. The diagnosis of a metabolic disease linked to vitamin D deficiency would appear to be unexpected for children brought up at the court of a Renaissance elite class family like the Medici of Florence. Analysis of the historical and social background is particularly helpful to understand the causes of the onset of the disease in this aristocratic group. Documentary sources, supported by ¹³C and ¹⁵N bone collagen analysis, attest that weaning of these children took place when they were around 2 years old. With a prolonged breast‐feeding and a delay in introducing solid food in the diet, vitamin D deficiency is expected to rise considerably, in particular if the other main risk factor, namely inadequate sunlight exposition, is associated with this human milk‐based diet. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Identification of a possible engraved Venus from Předmostí, Czech Republic

One Gravettian feminine representation – the schematic Venus of P?edmostí – is so different from all the others that it has always been regarded as unique. The engraving, which was closely examined for the purpose of comparison in this study, represents a woman composed of geometric shapes, including a triangular head with interior lattice-work, concentric ellipses for the breasts, belly and pelvis, a double ladder for the remaining arm, hatch marks, and a thigh made up of parallel vertical lines. This article presents the discovery and discusses the authenticity of a second, feminine anthropomorph engraved on a bone shaft fragment, which is labelled as coming from the same site and is highly similar to the one described at the end of the nineteenth century. The modern history of P?edmostí reveals that the site was used as a quarry for the extraction of loess and limestone, and that tons of mammoth bones were extracted to produce spodium. Remarkable objects that were found both during early archaeological excavations and the site’s commercial exploitation went towards private collections. The history of the piece under study traces it back through a succession of owners to the collection of René de Poilloüe de Saint-Périer (b.1877–d.1950) and Raymonde-Suzanne de Saint-Périer (b.1890–d.1978). The engraving is on the periosteal surface of a limb bone from a very large mammal, probably a proboscidian. Microscopic analysis of the bone surface and engravings identify the chronology of the grooves and their relations to the stages of the bone’s alteration and fracturing, starting with: 1) heavy weathering of the bone surface that produced longitudinal cracks, which probably led to its breakage, 2) engraving of the feminine representation, 3) intense mechanical and chemical attacks that smoothed all of the bone’s surfaces and wore down the engravings, 4) covering with a consolidation agent, and, most recently, 5) some abrasion, which resulted in the creation of a few straight lines. Since no evidence is found to suggest that the highly worn appearance of the engravings composing the feminine representation resulted from modifications that were meant to artificially age the periosteal surface of the bone, we conclude that the engraving can be plausibly attributed to the Gravettian and that further analyses are warranted.     

THE FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANCIENT DIET AND THE INORGANIC CONSTITUENTS OF BONE AS DERIVED FROM FEEDING EXPERIMENTS

The levels of ten elements (phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, strontium, barium, potassium, sodium, zinc, iron, and aluminium) have been measured in the femurs and humeri of laboratory rats grown on test diets as a model for palaeodietary studies of excavated human skeletons. High levels of dietary fibre correlate with lower Ca and higher Sr and Ba in the bone. High values of the dietary Sr/Ca ratio correlate with high Sr levels in the bone. High levels of dietary protein correlate with lower Sr and higher Zn. High values of the ratio Ba/Ca and lower levels of Fe correlate with higher levels of Ba. Because bone levels typically are controlled by several dietary components, variation of the levels of a given element in the diet does not necessarily translate into analogous variations in bone. Only K and Fe in bone correlate highly with their levels in diet. The failure of bone Sr, Ba, and Zn to correlate positively with dietary levels is fully explicable in terms of their interdependence on other dietary components, such as Ca, P, Fe, protein, and fibre.     

Fish bone chemistry and ultrastructure: implications for taphonomy and stable isotope analysis

This paper reviews the ultrastructure and chemistry of fish bone, with an emphasis on zooarchaeology and stable isotope analysis. On the basis of the chemical composition of the collagen and the relationships between the collagen and mineral phases, fish bone is more susceptible to biotic and abiotic degradation than mammalian bone and is therefore less likely to be recovered in archaeological deposits. The amino acid composition of fish bone differs from that of mammals, most notably with respect to hydroxyproline content. The C:N ratio of fish collagen is, however, very similar and slightly lower than mammalian collagen, and thus the traditional range of acceptable C:N ratios for archaeological bone collagen (2.9–3.6) should not be shifted or extended for fish on the basis of the amino acid composition of collagen. An extensive survey of published archaeological bone collagen C:N ratios demonstrates that fish collagen from archaeological contexts tends to have significantly higher C:N ratios than mammalian collagen. The elevated C:N ratios in fish bone collagen may be the result of abiotic degradation processes that occur within the bone after death, the presence of exogenous humic contaminants, or endogenous lipid contaminants.     

Intra-skeletal variability in trace elemental content of Precolumbian Chupicuaro human bones: the record of post-mortem alteration and a tool for palaeodietary reconstruction

This study applies an intra-skeletal sampling strategy to examine post-mortem alteration of archaeological human bone from west Mexico, and to reconstruct ancient diet. Human bone from the Chupicuaro culture (Mexico, Preclassic period) constitutes an ideal material with which to examine subsistence strategies because the specific hydrothermal environment in which the population lived would have provided certain food components (hydrothermal waters and carbonates) with distinct signature in Ca, Mg, F, Li, Sr, Mn, V and U values. Four to ten samples were taken from the long bones of six skeletons. Bone trace element content (Ca, P, F, Mn, Mg, Na, Li, V, Zn, Rb, Sr, Ba, Y, La, Ce, Nd, Th, U) and bone alteration parameters (crystallinity, organic matter and secondary calcite content) were analysed at the intra-skeletal level. Stable isotopic signatures (bone δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O_carbonate) and histological analyses were also performed on a single bone from each individual. Results indicate that all of the skeletons were affected by post-mortem mineralogical, structural and geochemical transformations. Biological bone δ¹³C values seem preserved for most of the individuals but an increase in crystallinity accompanies depletion in bone δ¹⁸O values. The combination of bone alteration parameters with bone elemental content shows that in this very specific context, a widespread dissolution-recrystallisation is unlikely. Of the hydrothermal tracers, Sr, F and Li were of particular interest because their retention in living tissues is related to the amount ingested. The intra-skeletal Li content does not reveal any pattern but Li depletion is not excluded. In contrast, Sr and F show a progressive intra-skeletal diagenetic enrichment likely due to gradual diffusion–adsorption processes. The bones with the lowest concentrations in these elements are assumed to yield the best representative ante-mortem values. The signal extracted from each skeleton, a very unusually high bone Sr, F and Li content, is interpreted as reflecting the consumption of the local hydrothermal products, which are also enriched in these elements.     

A taphonomic study of bone modification and of tooth‐mark patterns on long limb bone portions by suids

This work presents new taphonomic data on bone modification by suids, including domestic pig, wild and hybrid boars. The intense modification undergone by bones from animals smaller than 100 kg is shown, together with a more moderate modification on bones from larger animals. Both the ravaging pattern (with preferential deletion of cancellous tissue) and the tooth‐marking frequencies are similar to those documented among hyenas and dogs when having primary access to complete bones. A dual‐patterned experimental model consisting of the interaction of humans and suids was also considered. Here it is shown how suid modification of hammerstone‐broken bone assemblages is different from that documented among canids and hyaenids, as experimentally replicated. These results increase the number of non‐anthropogenic bone‐modifying agents and posit new issues on equifinality processes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Retracted: A Possible Case of Hypopituitarism in Neolithic China

A human skeleton with a possible case of hypopituitarism is reported. The individual (burial M53) is from the site of Guanjia, a Neolithic settlement in northern China, dated to the Late Yangshao period (6000–5500 bp ). On the basis of the fully erupted third permanent molars and moderate occlusal dental wear resulting in substantial exposure of dentine, the initially estimated age‐at‐death was placed between 26 and 33 years. However, dimensions of the postcranial skeleton fall significantly below and outside the range from contemporaneous adult populations, and along with delayed epiphyseal fusion present throughout the skeleton, the postcranial age is concordant to that of an 11‐ to 13‐year‐old child. Most long bone epiphyses display incomplete fusion or are entirely unfused, but a lack of microporosity in the metaphyseal areas near growth plates indicates a cessation of longitudinal bone growth. Because no signs of porotic hyperostosis, cribra orbitalia, periosteal lesions or linear enamel hypoplasia are observed, the restricted growth of this individual is likely caused by a growth hormone disorder and is unrelated to nutritional deficiencies or systemic infection. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Characterization and textural analysis of Middle Bronze Age Transdanubian inlaid wares of the Encrusted Pottery Culture,Hungary: a preliminary study

Inlaid ceramics belonging to the Encrusted Pottery Culture and dated to the Middle Bronze Age (2000–1500 BC) are highly distinctive vessels with complex decorative motifs found in large numbers in the Transdanubia region of Hungary. Despite this considerable corpus of material there has been little systematic investigation of the composition of the inlays. Micro-analysis of Transdanubian inlaid wares by X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-Fourier transform infrared microscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) provides new compositional, structural and textural information on the inlays. In contrast to common statements in the literature regarding the materials used to make inlays, these new data show that the majority of inlays are composed of hydroxyapatite (bone) that was previously ashed, although some of the inlays are composed of calcium carbonate. Additional compositional and textural variation in the bone inlays suggests that bone material from different skeletal elements and/or of different age may have been used, and that contrasting recipes for inlay preparation were employed during fabrication. These results suggest that the production of inlaid vessels of the Encrusted Pottery Culture was more complex than has hitherto been thought.     

Oral implications of labret use: a case from pre‐Columbian Chile

This paper examines the osteological evidence for a case of long‐term labret use in pre‐Columbian north Chile and the pathological conditions associated with it. The burials from the site of Solcor 3 (AD 400–900) included a complete skeleton associated with two quartz labrets. Analysis of the skeleton of this adult male revealed wear and polish on the labial surface of both mandibular canines, indicating that the labrets were worn as a pair on either side of the midline of the lower lip. In addition to these abrasion facets, there were also areas of periosteal reaction in the alveolar bone of the canines. These patterns were analysed from the perspective of the clinical dentistry literature and compared to archaeological data. It is concluded that this individual's dental health was affected by wearing labrets, although not as seriously as might be expected based on contemporary medical reports. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Origin and Archaeometallurgy of a Mixed Sulphide Ore for Copper Production on the Island of Kea,Aegean Sea,Greece

At the hill of Agios Symeon, on the island of Kea, Aegean Sea, Greece, ancient metallurgical slags with a high Pb–Zn–Cu content have been found. Thermodynamic simulations have been carried out, using the FactSage? thermodynamic database computing system, with a view to understanding the ancient metallurgical processes that produced the observed slag compositions and morphologies. The simulations demonstrate that the slag samples resulted from Cu‐making processes. It would thus appear that mixed ores were used, containing Cu₂S–FeS–PbS with significant amounts of sphalerite (ZnS) as impurity. The roasted ores were reduced at relatively high oxygen potentials at ～1125°C to form Cu containing low levels of Pb, Fe and Zn.