A malnourished infant from La Grieta (Las Cañadas, Tenerife) with cervical spine hyperlordosis.

Abstract

Excavation of a non-spoiled burial cave located among the lava blocks of La Grieta (Las Cañadas, Tenerife, Canary Islands), led to the recovery of a 940 year-antique, 10-year-old pre-Hispanic (Guanche) child (genetically sexed), who presented a marked cervical hyperlordosis and a rectification of the remaining spine (until L1), together with microporotic changes of the cranial vault, a bowed right tibia, and a rough, porotic appearance of the metaphyseal plates. A divergence was observed between age at death estimated by dental remains and that estimated by skeletal remains. Spine changes are compatible with some forms of congenital myopathy (for instance, Emery-Dreifuss disease), that could have severely impaired swallowing, leading to malnutrition and stunted growth. The skull presented numerous Wormian bones and supernumerary sutures.