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Understanding the Bones: the Human Skeletal Remains from Tombs I, II and III at Vergina

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Understanding the Bones: the Human Skeletal Remains from Tombs I, II and III at Vergina University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2014-05-26 Understanding the Bones: The Human Skeletal Remains from Tombs I, II and III at Vergina McLeod, Jolene McLeod, J. (2014). Understanding the Bones: The Human Skeletal Remains from Tombs I, II and III at Vergina (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. doi:10.11575/PRISM/28565 http://hdl.handle.net/11023/1562 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Understanding the Bones: The Human Skeletal Remains from Tombs I, II and III at Vergina by Jolene McLeod A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF GREEK AND ROMAN STUDIES CALGARY, ALBERTA MAY, 2 2014 © Jolene McLeod 2014 Abstract This thesis presents an examination of the publications about the human remains from Tombs I, II, and III at Vergina. An overview of the controversy surrounding this topic presents a starting point, and explains why the bones have become so contentious. Since most arguments about identity propose either Philip II or his son Arrhidaios, I have examined the historical context of both their murders and burials, and those of their wives Kleopatra and Adea-Eurydike. I assess whether it is possible to identify the occupants of these tombs from osteological evidence alone, as most current scholarship asserts. Special emphasis has been given to the skeletal remains from Tomb II, to determine if either Philip II or Arrhidaios can be confirmed as the occupant of the main chamber. Anatomical analysis of Philip II’s known battle injuries finds that proof of identity cannot be reached through examination of the cremains alone. ii Acknowledgments I wish to thank my examining committee, Dr. Reyes Bertolin, Dr. Anne Moore, and Dr. John Vanderspoel, for providing valuable time and comments. I would also like to gratefully acknowledge the financial support which allowed me to complete this project. The Alberta government provided several scholarships, including the Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship and the Alberta Graduate Student Scholarship Award. Private funding in the form of the Luke Bridgewater Memorial Scholarship, John D. Petrie Scholarship, the Wigham Family Scholarship for International Research Travel, and the Humphrey-McLeod Travel Scholarship allowed me to see the Vergina tombs first hand. The University of Calgary and the Department of Greek and Roman Studies generously supported my research through the Faculty of Graduate Studies Travel Award and the Department of Greek and Roman Studies Graduate Travel Scholarship. Jonathan Tomlinson at the Canadian Institute in Greece couriered some last minute credentials. I offer sincere thanks to Dr. Timothy Howe of St. Olaf College for inviting me to speak among illustrious company in Athens, and my colleagues in the department, including Riccardo Bertolazzi for Italian tutoring, and Leslie Bolton, Amber Porter, and Katie Tipton for some long discussions about paintings, red earth and tombstones. Dr. Lisa Hughes provided insight and constant encouragement, and Dr. Heather Jamniczky in the Faculty of Medicine offered superb perspective and opportunities. I would also like to thank Owen Watson for his image help. Finally, I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Waldemar Heckel, for his incredibly profound knowledge and years of inspiration, guidance, and unwavering faith. iii Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. v List of Figures and Illustrations ................................................................................................... vii List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... xi Chapter One: Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 Politics and the VerginaTombs ........................................................................................... 7 Chapter Two: The Assassinations and Burials of Philip II and Philip III ............................ 12 A Wedding and a Funeral: Philip II ................................................................................. 12 A Failed War: Arrhidaios and Eurydike ........................................................................... 21 The Ages of Kleopatra, Europa, Karanos, and Adea-Eurydike ....................................... 28 Meda ................................................................................................................................ 38 Chapter Three: Chronology of Analyses and Interpretation of the Findings ...................... 42 Tomb I .............................................................................................................................. 42 The Tomb Robber Theory .................................................................................... 44 The Female and Infant Remains from Tomb I ..................................................... 48 Tomb II ............................................................................................................................. 50 Xirotiris and Langenscheidt ................................................................................. 51 Musgrave .............................................................................................................. 55 Prag and Neave .................................................................................................... 57 Bartsiokas ............................................................................................................. 60 Rebuttal ................................................................................................................ 62 A New Analysis .................................................................................................... 63 Tomb III ........................................................................................................................... 67 Chapter Four: Injury and Cremation ...................................................................................... 70 The Combat Trauma of Philip II ...................................................................................... 70 iv Testimonia for Philip’s Eye Injury ....................................................................... 72 The Effects of Cremation on Human Bone ......................................................................77 Temperature ......................................................................................................... 77 Color .................................................................................................................... 78 Deformation ......................................................................................................... 79 Shrinkage ............................................................................................................. 80 The Limitations of Osteological Analysis for Determining Identity ............................... 81 Chapter Five: An Anatomical Assessment of the Male Remains from Tomb II .................. 87 Birth Defect ...................................................................................................................... 89 Healed Adult Injury .......................................................................................................... 90 Reconstruction, Warping, or Both .................................................................................... 93 Chapter Six: Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 95 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................. 101 Appendix I: Methods of Determining Sex and Age in Human Osteology .......................... 117 Dental Eruption and Occlusion ...................................................................................... 117 Cortical Bone Histology ................................................................................................. 117 Cranial Suture Closures ................................................................................................. 118 Postcranial Epiphyseal Union ........................................................................................ 118 Pubic Symphyseal Face Morphology ............................................................................ 119
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