Herrerín Jesús, Carmenate Margarita Mobility in ancient Egypt Anthropological Review • Vol. 84(2), 181–199 (2021) Mobility in Ancient Egypt from the shape and strength of the femurs Herrerín Jesús, Carmenate Margarita Universidad Autónoma de Madrid ABSTRACT: The aim of the study was to establish the degree of robustness and to infer the level of mobility of a group from ancient Thebes (Middle Egypt). Seventy-one left femurs of adult individuals from the 1st century AD from the tomb of Monthemhat (Luxor) were studied. Metrical, non-metrical variables, shape and size indices of femur were considered. Stature, body mass and Body Mass Index were calculated. All variables showed higher values in males, the vertical diameter of the femoral head was the variable with the highest sexual dimorphism. Non-metric variables also indicated low robustness, with heterogeneous sex distribution. The robustness, pilastric and platymeric indices indicated that the values were close to those of gracile populations in both sexes. Subtrochanteric size and shape showed no sexual dimorphism. The robustness, size and shape in the middle of the diaphysis suggested a mobility related to a daily occupation without intense physical activity in the legs. The results indicate a profile of low robustness, relative sedentarism with apparent sexual division in daily activities. KEY WORDS: mobility, robustness, sexual dimorphism. Introduction recognized the sensitivity of bone to me- chanical stimuli and the capacity to adapt During development, subjects are ex- dimensions of size and shape to external posed to an accumulation of environmen- pressures (Chen et al. 2010). A series of tal variables that can alter their morphol- changes occur in the bone components as ogy, so the interpretation of their physical adaptive responses to functional condi- dimensions permits for an understanding tions, including adopting a posture that of body structural responses to these is repeated or maintained over time (Vila- environmental forces (Niño 2005). As dor Voegeli 2001). early as the 19th century, in 1892, Ju- Variations in some metric and lius Wolff enunciated Wolff’s law which non-metric variables of the long bones in Original Research Article Received: May 05, 2021; Revised: May 28, 2021; Accepted: May 31, 2021 DOI: 10.2478/anre-2021-0014 © 2021 Polish Anthropological Society 182 Herrerín Jesús, Carmenate Margarita response to certain mechanical loads al- and larger diameters) is an expression lows us to relate them to habitual activity of resistance to external forces, as well patterns with different degrees of phys- as to the vertical load caused by body ical effort, as well as to establish differ- weight. For this reason, it has been the ences in the distribution of resources in subject of many studies that relate bone these populations (Cook 1984; Meikle- morphology, more specifically the quo- john et al. 1984). tient between the anteroposterior and According to various authors (Cur- transverse diameters at the midpoint of rey 1984; Martin and Burr 1989; San- the diaphysis (Ruff 1987, 1994; Larsen et tana et al. 2014) populations with high al. 1995; Larsen 1997; Stock and Pfeiffer displacement activity are characterized 2001, 2004; Holt 2003), with Terrestri- by greater bone robusticity while more al Logistic Mobility (TLM), defined as sedentary populations exhibit less ro- the distance traveled by an individual or busticity (Larsen 1981; Trinkaus 1983; group from their residence to workplace Ruff, Larsen and Hayes 1984; Bridges and back (Wescott 2006). Similarly, dis- 1989; Collier 1989). This is explained tribution of labor between the sexes in by morphological changes produced in a population will also be reflected in the the insertion of ligaments, tendons, and bone structure of individuals, as has been muscles due to mechanical action caused described in several investigations (Holt by the performance of a specific activi- 2003; Stock and Pfeiffer 2004; Wescott ty throughout the life cycle; mechanical 2006). forces model the internal and external The objectives of this study were to structure of bone (Ruff 1987; Kenne- establish the degree of robustness and dy 1989; Galtés et al. 2007; Santana et to infer the level of mobility of a human al. 2014). Therefore, mechanical load- group which lived in ancient Thebes, the ing can increase the thickness of long capital of Middle Egypt, 2000 years ago. bones axes (Currey 1984; Martin and The importance of this study is multi- Burr 1989). faceted: on the one hand, the number of Characterizing the robustness, size, individuals studied is sufficient enough and shape of bone diaphysis involves in order to draw informed conclusions describing the dimensions, constitu- that have a wide base. Alternatively, tion, and development of skeletal muscle the appropriate state of preservation of (Hoyme and Iscan 1989). In long bones, the femurs studied allowed all the nec- it is important to know the robustness of essary measurements to be taken and a the epiphyses and diaphysis, which can complete analysis of their morphology to indicate the degree of bone adaptation to be carried out. Moreover, both sexes are the environment (Pearson 2000), as well widely represented in the sample, which as the residual robustness of the femur, allowed comparisons to be made with which is more associated with changes more reliability. Finally, studies carried produced by mechanical stress caused by out on Egyptian populations from this mobility-related physical activity (Ruff period are scarce. Therefore, this study 1987, 2000; Pearson 2000). can shed light on the individuals who The femur is one of the bones most lived during this important part of an- involved in locomotion; its robustness cient Egyptian history. (synonymous with thick cortical walls Mobility in ancient Egypt 183 Materials and Methods section. In the 1990`s, some studies of the decorative aspects of the first patio The tomb of Monthemhat (TT34) is lo- of the tomb were performed (Russmann cated in a section of the necropolis of 1994). Later, in 2006, intensive archaeo- El-Asasif, near Deir el-Bahari on the west- logical, linguistic, and paleopathological ern bank of the Nile in the ancient city research, as well as restoration and doc- of Thebes (Luxor, Egypt; Fig. 1). Mon- umentation work, were carried out (Bax- themhat, the fourth priest of Amon, was arias 2007; Gomàa and Martínez Babón the ruler of Thebes and southern Egypt 2007; Villalba Varneda 2007; García- during the 25th and 26th Dynasties, from Guixé et al. 2010). 670 to 648 BC (Leclant 1961; Gomàa In Room 127 of the tomb, during one 2006; Gomàa and Martínez Babón 2007). of the last archaeological campaigns, a The existence of the TT34 Tomb had collection of human skeletal remains was been known for a long time but it has found along with ceramic remains. These not been studied (Gomàa 2006; Gomàa amphorae were dated between the first and Martínez Babón 2007). The first ex- and second centuries AD and served to peditions were carried out by Eisenlohr assign a reliable chronology to the human in 1885 (Eisenlohr 1885), at which time remains (Bagnall 2001, 2011; Gomàa the southern sanctuary in the courtyard and Martínez Babón 2007; Gates-Foster was partially excavated. In 1888, Krall 2012). The skeletal remains discovered (1888) arrived at the Hall of Niches, consisted of long bones, scapulae, crania where a statue of Osiris was located. Fur- and some mandibles. They were stacked ther investigation of the third southern and assembled in organized sets of bones sanctuary was carried out by Scheil in (crania together, femora together, and so 1890 (Scheil 1894). From 1949 to 1951, on). There is no written evidence of who Barguet et al. (1951) began the excava- had constructed these piles or when this tion of two areas: the large courtyard and act was carried out. Since the bone piles the associated sanctuaries and the clan- were not related to each other, sex had to destine chambers located in the northern be estimated from femur measurements. The sample consisted of 71 femurs be- longing to adults over 21 years of age. The bones had been stacked on top of each other, making it impossible to as- sign a right and left femur to a specific individual. The left femur was chosen because they were preserved in greater numbers and because they were in better condition than the right ones. Damaged femurs were not included in this study. Sex estimation Sex was estimated using discriminant functions based on different femoral Fig. 1. Luxor, Egypt variables developed by Krogman (1962), 184 Herrerín Jesús, Carmenate Margarita Black (1978), Trancho et al. (1996), to Martin and Saller (1958), Bass (1987), Alemán et al. (1997), Safont et al. (2000), Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994). Measure- Albanese et al. (2005) and Gaballah et al. ments were made using a sliding cali- (2014). Of the 71 adult femurs included per (0.01 mm), a bone chart and a tape in the study, 35 (49.3%) were male, 31 measure. The degree of sexual dimor- (43.7%) were female, and 5 (7.0%) were phism was calculated using the formula classified as undetermined and discarded DMS = 100* (male mean/female mean). for analysis. Non-metric variables were taken accord- ing to Feneis (1994). Metric and non-metric variables Fourteen indices were calculated (Ta- ble 3), six of which were robustness in- Nine metric and three non-metric vari- dices, two of which related to the size ables were measured (Tables 1 and 2). of the diaphysis at its midpoint to the The variables were measured according physiological length of the bone (FMR- Table 1. Description of metric variables Variable Description Instrument Maximum mor- Straight distance between the most proximal point of the head Osteometric phological length and the most distal point of the medial condyle. board (FM-L-1) Physiological length The measurement is made from the distal aspect of the condyle Osteometric (FM-L-2) to the most proximal aspect of the femoral head (the point that board gives the maximum measurement).