Exceptional preservation of a prehistoric human brain from Heslington,Yorkshire, UK |
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| Authors: | Sonia O&rsquo Connor,Esam Ali,Salim Al-Sabah,Danish Anwar,Ed Bergströ m,Keri A. Brown,Jo Buckberry,Stephen Buckley,Matthew Collins,John Denton,Konrad M. Dorling,Adam Dowle,Phil Duffey,Howell G.M. Edwards,Elsa Correia Faria,Peter Gardner,Andy Gledhill,Karl Heaton,Carl Heron,Rob Janaway,Brendan J. Keely,David King,Anthony Masinton,Kirsty Penkman,Axel Petzold,Matthew D. Pickering,Martin Rumsby,Holger Schutkowski,Kimberley A. Shackleton,Jerry Thomas,Jane Thomas-Oates,Maria-Raimonda Usai,Andrew S. Wilson,Terry O&rsquo Connor |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Archaeological Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK;2. Chemical and Forensic Sciences, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford BD7 1DP, UK;3. Technology Facility, Department of Biology (15), University of York, PO Box 373, York YO10 5YW, UK;4. Centre of Excellence in Mass Spectrometry, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK;5. Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK;6. Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK;g Department of Archaeology, University of York, King’s Manor, York YO1 7EP, UK;h BioArCh, Departments of Biology, Archaeology and Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK;i Department of Laboratory Medicine, Stopford Building, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;j YorkHospital, Wigginton Road, York YO31 8HE, UK;k Department of Neuroimmunology, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK;l Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5YW, UK |
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| Abstract: | Archaeological work in advance of construction at a site on the edge of York, UK, yielded human remains of prehistoric to Romano-British date. Amongst these was a mandible and cranium, the intra-cranial space of which contained shrunken but macroscopically recognizable remains of a brain. Although the distinctive surface morphology of the organ is preserved, little recognizable brain histology survives. Though rare, the survival of brain tissue in otherwise skeletalised human remains from wet burial environments is not unique. A survey of the literature shows that similar brain masses have been previously reported in diverse circumstances. We argue for a greater awareness of these brain masses and for more attention to be paid to their detection and identification in order to improve the reporting rate and to allow a more comprehensive study of this rare archaeological survival. |
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| Keywords: | Brain tissue Waterlogging Burial environment Adipocere Putrefaction Decapitation |
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