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At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

ABO blood typing of human skeletal remains in Hungary.

The author reports about the theoretical effects of his paleoserologic investigations on some historical population genetics problems. First he refers to the essence of the two modifications by the help of which the fluorescent antibody method can be made suitable for blood typing or archeological skeletal remains and determines his working units (sample, series, "population") used in the paleoserologic researches. The benefits of the projection of the ABO blood typing results on the map of the cemetaries are demonstrated. The distribution of the several phenotypes are collated to the character or richness of the grave goods and to the taxonomic features of the late individuals. The thorough examination of the serogenetic distances among the several samples of a given historical period may cast more light on the ethnic interrelations of the earlier populations living in the same geographic area. Following up the serogenetic changes of a population during subsequent historical periods, new ideas can be gained about the importance of the environmental, economic, and demographic factors shaping the serogenetic profile of the population.

ABO Blood-Group System↗
PubMed1984

A possible case of pre-Columbian treponematosis from New York State.

This paper presents evidence for what is believed to be the first reported case of pre-Columbian treponematosis in northeastern North America. The temporal position of the skeletal material, salvaged from a site in New York State, is determined on the basis of archeological evidence.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed1985

Genetic markers of an aboriginal Taiwanese population.

A group of Taiwan aborigines, the Toroko, was typed for 21 classical genetic loci. This is part of an ongoing program aimed at a comprehensive study of Taiwan aborigines. In this first paper a short summary of historical, archeological, and anthropological data in the literature is made, and results of the present survey are compared with older results from other aborigine tribes. An analysis of other neighboring populations from southeast Asia has also been carried out in order to give a preliminary answer to the question of origin of Taiwanese aborigines. Fifteen populations were studied for 13 loci by tree analysis, principal components, and isolation by distance. Tree analysis and principal component analysis gave results in fairly good agreement and indicate three major population clusters: a northeast cluster (Ainu, Korea, Japan, and Ryukyu); a southeast cluster (south China, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, and Toroko); and a third cluster including Malaya and Borneo. The positions of Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia are somewhat peripheral. Analysis of the tree shows some potential cases of convergence, perhaps owing to admixture, and of divergence. The analysis of isolation by distance shows that geographic propinquity is a reasonably good predictor of general similarity in this area.

Humans↗
PubMed1985

Expression count: a method for calculating morphological dental trait frequencies by using adjustable weighting coefficients with standard ranked scales.

Expression count is the term used for a new method of calculating the frequency of a morphological dental trait in a population sample. This method incorporates into a single value the total trait variation expressed in the sample. It has been designed to increase the information content of small samples of dental remains common with archeological recovery.

Biometry↗
PubMed1987

Implications of tooth root hypercementosis in a Barbados slave skeletal collection.

A 17th- to 19th-century cemetery sample of 104 slaves from Newton Plantation (Barbados) shows uniquely high hypercementosis prevalence, as well as unexpectedly high and variable skeletal lead content. A variety of biological and archeological factors indicates that individuals with lower amounts of these anomalies (relative to age at death) were probably African-born, first-generation slaves. The hypercementosis is related to the progression of periodontal disease as assessed from alveolar bone. Although the hypercementosis is endemic in the Caribbean black population, it does not as yet have a clear explanation. We suggest the etiology might relate to chronic malnutrition involving periodic, seasonal rehabilitation.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1988

Calcaneus secundarius: an osteo-archaeological note.

Calcaneus secundarius, a minor anatomical variant in the foot, is subclinical and its true prevalence in modern populations is uncertain. The trait is clearly visible in dry bones, and osteo-archeological evidence suggests that it may be a more frequent occurrence than was formerly thought. The etiology of the trait is outlined, and its possible value is assessing "biological distance" in past populations is considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Stratigraphic context of fossil hominids from the Omo group deposits: northern Turkana Basin, Kenya and Ethiopia.

The chronometric framework developed for Plio-Pleistocene deposits of the northern Turkana Basin is reviewed in light of recent advances in lithostratigraphy, geochemical correlation, paleomagnetic stratigraphy, and isotopic dating. The sequence is tightly controlled by 20 precise ages on volcanic materials. These ages are internally consistent but are at variance with estimates for the boundaries of the magnetic polarity time scale by about 0.07 my. This discrepancy can be only partially resolved at present. Based on the established chronometric framework and stratigraphic sequences, depositional ages can be estimated for significant marker beds. These ages can in turn be used to constrain the 449 hominid specimens thus far reported from the basin. Ages for most hominid specimens can be estimated with a precision of +/- 0.05 my. In addition, the chronometric framework will be applicable to other paleontological collections, archeological excavations, and future discoveries in the basin.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Incidence and patterning of dental enamel hypoplasia among the Neandertals.

Dental enamel hypoplasia (DEH), as an indicator of nonspecific stress during development, provides an assessment of the relative morbidity of past human populations. An investigation of 669 Neandertal dental crowns yielded an overall DEH frequency of 36.0% by tooth (41.9% for permanent teeth; 3.9% for deciduous teeth) and about 75% by individual. These incidences place the Neandertals at the top of recent human ranges of variation in DEH frequencies, indicating high levels of stress during development. The paucity of deciduous tooth DEH and M1 DEH, combined with generally increasing levels of DEH through later calcifying teeth, suggests that the stress was primarily nutritional, beginning at weaning and continuing through adolescence. This supports paleontological and archeological interpretations implying significantly lower effectiveness for Neandertal foraging compared to that of modern humans.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

Craniometrical variation among South American prehistoric populations: climatic, altitudinal, chronological, and geographic contributions.

The independent contributions of climate, altitude, chronology, and geographic location of archeological sites to craniometrical variation are analyzed in a sample of 1,119 skulls from South America. Geographic location is responsible for the highest proportion of craniometrical variation, followed by climate and altitude. It is concluded that geographic isolation has partially prevented gene flow from counterbalancing craniometrical microdifferentiation produced by founder effect.

Altitude↗
PubMed1993

Increasing human tooth length between birth and 5.4 years.

Most previous studies of tooth development have used fractional stages of tooth formation to construct growth standards suitable for aging juvenile skeletal material. A simple alternative for determining dental age is to measure tooth length throughout development. In this study, data on tooth length development are presented from 63 individuals of known age at death, between birth and 5.4 years, from an archeological population recovered from the crypt of Christ Church, Spitalfields, London. Isolated developing teeth (304 deciduous, 269 permanent) were measured in millimeters and plotted against individual age. Regression equations to estimate age from a given tooth length, are presented for each deciduous maxillary and mandibular tooth type and for permanent maxillary and mandibular incisors, canines, and first permanent molars. Data on the earliest age of root completion of deciduous teeth and initial mineralization and crown completion of some permanent teeth in this sample are given, as well as the average crown height and total tooth length from a small number of unworn teeth. This method provides an easy, quantitative and objective measure of dental formation appropriate for use by archeologists and anthropologists.

Age Determination by Teeth↗
PubMed1993

Ancient DNA from a pre-Columbian Amerindian population.

Ancient DNA was obtained from skeletal remains from the Norris Farms #36 cemetery, a pre-Columbian archeological site in central Illinois that dates to A.D. 1300. Four mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers were analyzed that delineate the four primary mtDNA lineages found in contemporary Amerindian populations. mtDNA types were determined for 50 individuals; 49 belonged to one of these four lineages. One lineage occurred only in males, suggesting an immigration of maternally related males into this community. There was no significant spatial patterning of mtDNA lineages within the cemetery. This survey of ancient DNA variation in a pre-Columbian population supports the view that the initial colonization of the New World comprised just four primary mtDNA lineages.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Temporal trends in stable isotopes for Nubian mummy tissues.

From Meroitic to Christian times (350 B.C.-A.D. 1400), Sudanese Nubia experienced political, economic, cultural, and environmental upheaval. Change in any one of these aspects of ancient lifeways can affect subsistence. Dietary patterns from this period are reconstructed by measuring stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in tissue samples from 146 mummies excavated from five sites in the Wadi Halfa area. On average, delta 13C values of bone collagen, muscle, and skin indicate high consumption levels of C3 plants (presumably wheat or barley staples, mixed vegetables, and fruits) throughout the sequence. However, during the X-Group period (A.D. 350-550), there is a statistically significant increase in consumption of C4 plants (millet or sorghum), which are predominant in both the archeological record and in modern crop production for most of the Northern Sudan. The X-Group period was also associated with a low Nile and political and economic restructuring. Increased use of C4 plants on a seasonal basis is also indicated by shifting delta 13C values along hair shafts for both X-Group and Christian periods. delta 15N values suggest that the major source of protein for all time periods came from herbivorous animals. A small, but significant increase in 15N over the 1,000-year sequence could be the result of fertilization.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Intra- and interobserver concordance in scoring Harris lines: a test on bone sections and radiographs.

Little attention has been devoted to assessing the reproducibility of (paleo) pathological observations. Harris lines (HL) are among the markers most used to determine chronology of stresses suffered during growth. Nevertheless, their scoring entails remarkable methodological difficulty. Bone sections (S) and radiographs (R) of 29 adult tibiae of archeological provenance (medieval) were scored for HL by five observers. At regular intervals of time, each observer gave two independent counts on both series. Results show a) a substantial interobserver disagreement of HL estimates for both sectional and radiographic records, and b) a high level of intraobserver error.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Comparison of radiologic and gross examination for detection of cancer in defleshed skeletons.

The reliability of visual examination of defleshed bones was assessed for detection of postcranial metastatic disease in individuals known to have had cancer. This was compared with standard clinical radiologic techniques. The skeletons of 128 diagnosed cancer patients from an early 20th century autopsied skeletal collection (Hamann-Todd Collection) were examined. Radiologic examination detected evidence of metastatic disease in 33 individuals, compared to 11 by visual examination of the postcranial skeletons. Four of these cases were detected by both techniques. Blastic lesions were most commonly overlooked on visual examination, because they were localized to trabecular (internal bone) structures. The ilium was the most commonly affected bone, with lytic or blastic lesions detected in 30 of 33 individuals. While the proximal femur was affected in only nine individuals, x-ray of the proximal femur and ilium detected all individuals with postcranial evidence of metastatic disease. Skeletal distribution of metastases provides no clue to the location of origin or histologic subtype of the cancer. Survey of archeological human remains for metastatic cancer requires radiologic examination. Such skeletal surveys should x-ray at least the ilia and femora.

Anthropology, Physical↗
PubMed2005

Effect of prism orientation and loading direction on contact stresses in prismatic enamel of primates: implications for interpreting wear patterns.

The ability of prisms to effectively dissipate contact stress at the surface will influence wear rates in teeth. The aim of this investigation was to begin to quantify the effect of prism orientation on surface stresses. Seven finite element models of enamel microstructure were created, each model differing in the angulation of prism orientation with regard to the wear surface. For validation purposes, the mechanical behavior of the model was compared with published experimental data. In order to test the enamel under lateral loads, a compressed food particle was dragged across the surface from the dentino-enamel junction (DEJ) towards the outer enamel surface (OES). Under these conditions, tensile stresses in the enamel model increased with increases in the coefficient of friction. More importantly, stresses were found to be lowest in models in which the prisms approach the surface at lower angles (i.e., more obliquely cut prisms), and highest when the prisms approached the surface at 60 degrees (i.e., less obliquely cut). Finally, the direction of travel of the simulated food particle was reversed, allowing comparison of the difference in behavior between trailing and leading edge enamels (i.e., when the food particle was dragged either towards or away from the DEJ). Stresses at the trailing edge were usually lower than stresses at the leading edge. Taken together with what is known about prism orientation in primate teeth, such findings imply greater wear resistance at the intercuspal region and less wear resistance at the lateral enamel at midcrown. Such findings appear to be supported by archeological evidence.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Patterns of skeletal histologic change through time: comparison of an archaic native American population with modern populations.

This paper compares patterns of histologic change in an archaic Native American population with those in modern white populations. Histologic sections were removed from core biopsies taken from the anterior femoral cortex of an archeologic sample of Pecos Indians. The data demonstrate many microstructural similarities between the Pecos and modern populations, even though they were genetically and culturally distinct. Pecos women had small Haversian canals and large osteon mean wall thickness, with no clear evidence of an intracortical bone volume deficit even in the older age groups, although significant marrow cavity expansion occurred in both males and females with age. No striking relationships were found between bone tissue changes and gross geometric changes with age. The data suggest that a more active life-style is associated with greater osteon mean wall thickness or osteon population density, but that it alone does not protect against significant bone loss on the cortical-endosteal surface.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Mechanical morphogenesis: a concept applied to the surface of the radius.

The purpose of this study is to perform a detailed morphological analysis of the changes that occur at the attachment sites of muscles, tendons, and ligaments on the radius. We consider the osteological, anatomical, and pathological aspects in detail, devising a visual standard for ranking the development of osseous expression at each attachment. We also discuss the etiology, particularly through focus on the relationship with the activity and age variables. In a sample of 148 radii from archeological and contemporary samples, 11 osteological sites were analyzed in each specimen. The osteological sites included nine muscular attachments, the attachment of the interosseous membrane, and the groove of the extensor pollicis longus tendon. The results show that mechanical loading is the main cause of different types of markings appearing and developing on the bone surface. Furthermore, there is a relationship between the osteological appearance of enthesis and its morphological type. It is possible to grade osteological appearance with a visual reference method that establishes an identifiable threshold for each grade and eliminates relying completely on observer experience. This methodology is applicable to the field of physical anthropology and to its forensic subfield, identifying individuals by attributing to them specific work or given activities through the use of skeletal remains.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Inheritance of sutural pattern at the pterion in Rhesus monkey skulls.

Five of the bones that characteristically comprise the cranial vault articulate on the lateral aspect of the skull at or near the cephalometric landmark referred to as the pterion. The pattern of articulation in the sutures associated with these bones varies among and within primate species and has been used as a criterion for classification in taxonomic studies, as well as in archeological and forensic studies. Within species, the sutural patterns found within the region of the pterion have remarkable consistency, which lead to the hypothesis that these patterns have a genetic basis. Sutural pattern variations were investigated at the pterion in 422 skulls from 66 rhesus monkey families with known genealogies from the long-standing colony on Cayo Santiago. Four specific types of articulation patterns were recorded. The results demonstrated that the most common suture pattern at the pterion of Cayo Santiago rhesus monkeys (86%; similar to that seen in some other anthropoid species but not humans and some apes) was characterized by an articulation between the temporal bone and parietal bone. Articulation between the sphenoid and parietal bones (type SP) accounted for 14% of the specimens and was concentrated in a dozen families. Mothers with the SP phenotype had a high incidence of offspring with SP phenotypes. Most non-SP mothers having SP offspring had siblings or family members from previous generations with the SP type. This is the first study to examine variation in sutural patterns at the pterion in pedigrees. Variation of sutural patterns shows familial aggregation, suggesting that this variation is heritable. Future work will be focused on defining the inheritance patterns of variation at the pterion, with the ultimate objective of identifying the specific genes involved and their mechanism of action.

Animals↗