Mahdi Alirezazadeh, Hamed Vahdati Nasab, Abbas Moghaddam
{"title":"Using the morphometric approach to analyze artificially modified crania from the late fifth millennium BCE settlement of Chega Sofla, southwestern Iran","authors":"Mahdi Alirezazadeh, Hamed Vahdati Nasab, Abbas Moghaddam","doi":"10.1002/oa.3306","DOIUrl":"10.1002/oa.3306","url":null,"abstract":"<p>There have been archaeological and ethnographic reports of artificially modified crania from all continents. Archaeological excavations at the late fifth millennium BCE cemetery of Tol-e Chega Sofla, located southwest of the Iranian plateau, also revealed these crania. This paper uses the morphometric approach to study Tol-e Chega Sofla's modified crania. The outlines of normal and modified crania of Chega Sofla and Khuzestan residents' specimens were considered. How accurate is the morphometric approach in identifying and recognizing Chega Sofla's modified skulls from normal ones? Can it recognize small variations in the skull's morphology, such as the flattening of the squamous part of the occipital bone? The results of this method can be compared with descriptive studies. Finally, it is shown that the morphometric approach based on Elliptic Fourier Analysis can identify the deformed skull of Chega Sofla and its intensity, as well as the flattening of the squamous part of the occipital bone.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140998467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Marine bryozoan colonization of terrestrial biomineralized tissues: Taphonomic insights and forensic implications","authors":"Edda E. Guareschi, Paola A. Magni","doi":"10.1002/oa.3303","DOIUrl":"10.1002/oa.3303","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The taphonomy and diagenesis of bone and teeth recovered from any environments provide crucial information for forensic sciences and investigations. This leads to the estimation of the postmortem interval (PMI) and the postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) of the organism/s. Aquatic taxa can induce macroscopic and microscopic alterations in biomineralized tissues (e.g., grooves) or can colonize them by attachment (e.g., Bryozoa). Bryozoa are tiny invertebrates that form colonies in freshwater and saltwater. They can survive for years as suspension feeders in all climates. Most marine Bryozoa species have a biomineralized exoskeleton that can be preserved after their death. This research analyzes eight fragments of archeological elephant ivory with a known PMSI of 314 years, which were inhabited by three distinct bryozoan colonies. The variations in the preservation of the bryozoan exoskeletons and the overgrowth of different marine taxa reveal that one colony (lichenoporid cyclostomatid) was alive at the time of the ivory collection from the submerged archeological site while the two other colonies (cheilostomatid) had previously died at different times. The primary objective of this observation is to contribute to the understanding of the taphonomy of terrestrial mammalian biomineralized tissues recovered in marine environments. Additionally, the study discusses the potential forensic implications of this association, such as the evidence of marine submersion and the PMSI. A secondary objective is to present the Bryozoa colonies within a distinctive depositional context, considering that many bryozoan species of the Western Australian coast remain undescribed. The complexity of the Bryozoa ecobiology is also highlighted, with the need of further research (e.g., minimum time for colonization). Finally, this study highlights the urgency of multidisciplinary collaboration to advance aquatic forensic capabilities.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141000517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Juvenile sex estimation using the elevation of the auricular surface: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Maura K. Griffith, Carolyn Rando","doi":"10.1002/oa.3304","DOIUrl":"10.1002/oa.3304","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The development and identification of methods for effective sex estimation of physiologically juvenile remains continue to challenge bioarchaeologists. This systematic review and meta-analysis of investigates the diagnostic accuracy of auricular surface elevation (ASE) for sex estimation of physiological juveniles; determines how the diagnostic accuracy differs between the categorical ASE method and the adapted ranked ASE method; and assesses if the diagnostic accuracy of ASE sex estimation improves with age. ASE sex estimation is used as a component of puberty estimation. A forward search using Google Scholar, SCOPUS, and CrossRef identified 248 unique documents that cited Weaver's original description of the method. The results of more than 700 sex estimates from five peer-reviewed articles and two PhD dissertations are synthesized through bivariate meta-analysis. The bivariate meta-analysis reveals that ASE sex estimation correctly estimates sex of 36.7% [95% CI: 20.8–56.1%] of females and 82.4% [71.9–89.6%] of males. The predictive value of the female auricular surface trait (elevated) is 67.6% [61.8–72.9%], and the predictive value of the male trait (non-elevated) is 56.6% [54.3–58.8%]. When separated into age cohorts of under 1 year old, under 10 years old, and over 10 years old, ASE sex estimation did not show improvement with increased age. This analysis demonstrates that the ASE sex estimation method does not accurately estimate or predict sex of physiologically juvenile individuals, with no improvement from a ranked method or by age. Furthermore, this method should not be used as a component of puberty estimation due to lack of improvement with increasing age-at-death.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3304","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141057043","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The urban sea: Cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, linear enamel hypoplasia, and sinusitis in three diachronic urban sites from the Dutch province of Zeeland (1030–1800 CE)","authors":"Maia Casna, Sarah A. Schrader","doi":"10.1002/oa.3302","DOIUrl":"10.1002/oa.3302","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Until the 17th century, the Dutch coastal region of Zeeland ranked among Europe's most urbanized areas, driven by thriving international trade networks. People living in this time of flourishing economy benefitted enormously from it in terms of employment opportunities and working conditions, which were reportedly better than in the rest of the Low Countries. However, the rapid growth of Zeeland's urban centers likely presented increasing challenges for the population in terms of accessing essential resources, including food, clean water, and housing. In the 19th century, Zeeland's economy ultimately faced a significant downturn due to the decline in the maritime trade, leading to a substantial reduction in its urban population. Examining patterns of urbanization and economic histories that differ from the commonly studied thriving industrial contexts in bioarcheological research, as exemplified by Zeeland, is a crucial yet relatively underexplored facet in our efforts to understanding the human past. To address this gap, this study investigates the impact of urbanization on the health of Zeeland's inhabitants over time by analyzing nonspecific stress markers (i.e., cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, and linear enamel hypoplasia) and chronic maxillary sinusitis in a sample of 246 individuals from three urban sites dating from 1030 to 1800 CE. Our analysis of skeletal remains reveals significant differences in the prevalence of porotic hyperostosis, linear enamel hypoplasia, and sinusitis between the medieval and post-medieval periods. These findings suggest that de-urbanization and economic decline adversely affected the health and well-being of the populations under study, influenced by factors such as working conditions and food availability. This study provides a new perspective on bioarcheological approaches to urbanization, shedding light on the intricate realities of urbanization in Zeeland and offering important insights into its complexities.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3302","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140680364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alessia Monticone, Elisa Panero, Erika Heritier, Barbara Pergolizzi, Federica Dal Bello, Enrica Mecarelli, Rosa Boano, Paolo de Vingo, Maria Codlin, Enrica Pessione, Beatrice Demarchi
{"title":"Combing through museum collections. A “museomic” application of ZooMS","authors":"Alessia Monticone, Elisa Panero, Erika Heritier, Barbara Pergolizzi, Federica Dal Bello, Enrica Mecarelli, Rosa Boano, Paolo de Vingo, Maria Codlin, Enrica Pessione, Beatrice Demarchi","doi":"10.1002/oa.3295","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.3295","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This article presents the application of Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) to osseous Longobard artifacts from the collection of the “Musei Reali di Torino” (MRT; Torino, Italy). Like most archaeological items made of worked bone/antler in museum collections, the raw material of such specimens is usually attributed to deer, often without accurate taxonomic attribution. Therefore, the main aim of the present investigation was to shed light on taxonomical aspects using biomolecular approaches.</p><p>We first examined the collagen preservation of the artifacts, then we compared three sampling methods (invasive, eraser-based, and bag-based), and we evaluated the quality of the collagen fingerprint obtained. Overall, we found a good, albeit not optimal, biomolecular preservation status, even in heavily restored objects coming from the 19th-century collections.</p><p>Out of 37 specimens analyzed through matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight–mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) and nanoHPLC-tandem MS, 31 yielded usable data. The results confirmed the widespread use of cervid as the osseous raw material for comb-making in Longobard times in Piedmont, but we also found that bovine bones (<i>Bos</i> but also other taxa belonging to family Bovidae, such as caprines) and equid bones were exploited—demonstrating opportunistic use of animal resources. As far as the method is concerned, the ZooMS peptide markers useful to distinguish between bovids and cervids (<i>m/z</i> 1580 vs<i>m/z</i> 1550) (Buckley et al., 2009) are more frequently detected when analyzing bone chips, that is, with the invasive sampling method, rather than collagen extracts obtained using non-invasive techniques. Nonetheless, the eraser method (eZooMS) seems to be a good trade-off between invasivity and quality of the information obtained: eZooMS sampling does not leave visible marks on the object and therefore can contribute to facilitating the routine application of biomolecular methods in the daily practice of museum conservation laboratories. Indeed, an important outcome of the present study has been the establishment of a close collaboration between museum and biomolecular specialists.</p><p>Taken together, our results suggest that the Longobards had a preference towards locally available resources, although this work did not highlight a clear association between raw material (deer, cattle, and other bovids) and object typology (in the case of combs) or function, except for buttons. The overall information obtained by this study confirms the potential of biomolecular approaches for reconstructing the biography of museum objects with a long and complex life and demonstrates the value of zooarchaeological study of museum collections.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140546887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jennifer E. Mack, Candace M. Howard, Ralph H. Didlake
{"title":"Rare finding of a porcelain gallbladder in an early 20th-century asylum cemetery: Radiologic, clinical, and bioarchaeological perspectives","authors":"Jennifer E. Mack, Candace M. Howard, Ralph H. Didlake","doi":"10.1002/oa.3299","DOIUrl":"10.1002/oa.3299","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Porcelain, or calcified, gallbladder is a finding rarely identified in archaeologically excavated remains. This study reports on an ovoid calcification found in the torso of adult skeleton from an early 20th-century mental asylum cemetery in Mississippi. The calcified object was imaged using conventional x-ray and computerized tomographic (CT) scanning (standard and micro), which produced images consistent with those of a clinically diagnosed porcelain gallbladder containing a single large gallstone. The aim of this paper is to raise awareness of this medical condition, which may not be familiar to most anthropologists, and of the efficacy of CT scanning for the identification of calcified gallbladders, which may increase the number of cases reported in archaeological literature and provide more information about the prevalence of this condition, and gallbladder disease in general, in past populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140363902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ariadna Nieto-Espinet, Sílvia Valenzuela-Lamas, Marta Moran, Xavier Payà, Isabel Gil
{"title":"“Death or conversion”: From welfare to famine in the Jewish quarter of Lleida, Spain (12th–14th century)","authors":"Ariadna Nieto-Espinet, Sílvia Valenzuela-Lamas, Marta Moran, Xavier Payà, Isabel Gil","doi":"10.1002/oa.3291","DOIUrl":"10.1002/oa.3291","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The urban planning work carried out in the old seminary district of Lleida, over an area of more than 6,000 m<sup>2</sup>, uncovered important remains of the old <i>Cuirassa</i> quarter. This quarter was inhabited by the Jewish <i>aljama</i> between the 12th century and the end of the 15th century CE. Archeological excavations have documented streets, squares, and private spaces corresponding to several houses, one of which was destroyed by the Christian assault and fire of the Jewish quarter on 13 August 1391. The study of the important archeozoological assemblages from this area has made it possible to characterize, for the first time, the dietary practices of the Jewish communities in different periods of occupation of this neighborhood. In addition, the consumption of certain non-<i>kosher</i> species in the late 14th century assemblages could be related with a situation of crisis or famine (which could correspond to the period after the attack of 1391), providing relevant data on the status and situation of the Jewish community in the city at that time. The results are consistent with the context defined by the historical sources, which describe an important period of decline after the attack.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3291","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140376220","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Processing water birds for food at the Island of Kökar in the Baltic Sea during the medieval and early modern period (ca. CE 1400–1700)","authors":"Hanna Kivikero, Viktor Eriksson","doi":"10.1002/oa.3297","DOIUrl":"10.1002/oa.3297","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Few studies have been made of the specific importance of waterfowl as food in the Baltic Sea during the late medieval and early modern period. This study shows the seasonal importance of water birds to island and coastal inhabitants living in the middle of the Baltic Sea during the late medieval and early modern periods (ca. CE 1400–1700) and practical implementations for interpretation of cut and chop marks. The paper is based on a bird bone assemblage retrieved from a remote ecclesial site on the island group of Kökar, which is part of the Åland Islands, as well as historical documents and local specialist knowledge. The site was established by Franciscan friars somewhere in the mid-15th century. Documents indicate that the friars had landownership, income from taxing nearby fisheries, and the right to seal tithe. These assets were taken over by the crown in the mid-16th century due to the Reformation and a parish church was established on the same site after the friary was dissolved. The bone assemblages from the site include birds, mammals, and fish. The material shows a relatively small number of chicken bones in relation to waterfowl, allowing one to look closer into the structural food economy around water birds for the area. The bones also show several cut and chop marks, which have been analyzed to explore the possible processing of these birds. The results show that fowling was concentrated to a couple of species most likely during spring when these species were abundant. The placement of the cut and chop marks indicates that a large number of birds were likely processed at the same time.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3297","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140380270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Eun Jin Woo, Helen Cho, Joon Yeol Ryu, Won Joon Lee, Min Woo Seo, Yangseung Jeong
{"title":"Reconstructing the life histories of a noble couple from the Joseon period, Korea, based on skeletal evidence and historical records","authors":"Eun Jin Woo, Helen Cho, Joon Yeol Ryu, Won Joon Lee, Min Woo Seo, Yangseung Jeong","doi":"10.1002/oa.3298","DOIUrl":"10.1002/oa.3298","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study is an osteobiography of a noble couple who were members of the “ruling elite” in the 18th-century Joseon period, Korea. The archaeological context and historical records indicate that the couple lived and died during a period marked by strict observance of social hierarchy. The husband's skeleton exhibits clear evidence of craniosynostosis and spinal scoliosis. In particular, congenital craniosynostosis of the skull likely caused deformities in his craniofacial morphology during his lifetime. The physical deformities and discomforts revealed by his craniofacial and vertebral skeleton shed light on the documented passivity and frequent disruptions to his government positions. Meanwhile, his wife's age at death, 93 years, is exceptionally long. The osteological investigation suggests that she seems to have lived without severe stressors. Her skeletal remains show no evidence of occupational stress or chronic disease. Until now, our understanding of the Joseon period nobility has predominantly relied on artifacts and summaries of the deceased's life discovered in tombs, as well as written documents such as diaries, evaluation records, and letters. This study reconstructs the lives of this couple through osteological evidence, historical records, and social context. This holistic approach will provide a novel perspective for a more comprehensive understanding of the lives of nobility and intellectuals of the period.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3298","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140378467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erika Gál, László Bartosiewicz, Viktória Kiss, Friderika Horváth, Eszter Melis
{"title":"A fifth- to sixth-century CE lynx (Lynx lynx L., 1758) skeleton from Hungary 2: Stature and archaeological interpretations","authors":"Erika Gál, László Bartosiewicz, Viktória Kiss, Friderika Horváth, Eszter Melis","doi":"10.1002/oa.3289","DOIUrl":"10.1002/oa.3289","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Lynx remains are rare in archaeological assemblages. The skeleton of an adult male accompanied by four dogs was found in a large Migration Period pit at Zamárdi–Kútvölgyi-dűlő II, Hungary. Extant lynx skeletons were used in estimating the shoulder height of this individual. Its stature is comparable to those of the large dogs it was buried with. None of the five skeletons showed skinning marks. Although the physical reconstruction of the lynx was of help in appraising this special pit, the actual nature of the deposit remains in question. Possible interpretations range from the mundane discard of carcasses to the poorly understood ritual burial of carnivores, beginning with the lynx. We reviewed these options within the framework of cultural diversity of Migration Period peoples in west-central Hungary.</p>","PeriodicalId":14179,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Osteoarchaeology","volume":"34 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/oa.3289","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140221090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"历史学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}