Culture, Society, and Praxis Volume 7 Number 2 Culture, Economy, and Change Article 9 January 2008 Forensic Anthropology, Paleopathology, and the Creation of Osteobiographies Bronwynn Meredydd Lloyd California State University, Monterey Bay Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/csp Recommended Citation Lloyd, Bronwynn Meredydd (2008) "Forensic Anthropology, Paleopathology, and the Creation of Osteobiographies," Culture, Society, and Praxis: Vol. 7 : No. 2 , Article 9. Available at: https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/csp/vol7/iss2/9 This Analysis is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Journals at Digital Commons @ CSUMB. It has been accepted for inclusion in Culture, Society, and Praxis by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ CSUMB. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Lloyd: Forensic Anthropology, Paleopathology, and the Creation of Osteob 24 Forensic Anthropology CS&P Forensic Anthropology, Paleopathology, and the Creation of Osteobiographies By Bronwynn Lloyd Summary This paper discusses the field of osteology and its origination. Osteology, the study of human bones, along with other investigative modes used for define trauma and time of death are important in the fields of archeology as well. The author high- lights the fact that the study of human remains in archaeological contexts allows archaeologists to better identify significant factors present on the remains that could aid in their understanding of a site or culture. Introduction lives and how they died based of characteris- tics identified on the remains. Like forensic In forensic anthropology it is important for investigators, they attempt to identify the sex, scientists to be able to distinguish between age at death, ethnicity, and stature of the indi- trauma that occurs prior to death, at death, and vidual. Also in their analysis, they identify any after death. It is even more important in foren- antemortem and perimortem traumas that may sic investigations with be present on the bones and legal objectives that distinguish it from any post- antemortem, perimortem, mortem damage that may and postmortem trauma have been done naturally or be identified correctly so during the excavation proc- a proper analysis of the ess. One characteristic oste- crime scene can be given. ologists analyse are lesions However, this distinction on the bone caused by patho- must also be applied to gens from either infectious or the analysis of past hu- environmental sources. With man remains when found ancient cultures and their dis- in archaeological con- eases, the study is called pa- texts. Studies of human leopathology. In this analy- remains in archaeological contexts are allow- sis, insight into social status, occupation, and ing archaeologists to better identify significant daily activities are interpreted through lesions factors present on the remains that could aid in present on the bones caused by environmental their understanding of a site or culture. In disease and occupational stressor. In ancient these situations, specialists in the field of os- peoples, this interpretation is done through the teology, osteologists, are called on to analyze study of ancient diseases present on the recov- the remains in order to help archaeologists. ered bones through archaeological techniques. Osteology, the study of human bones, may Assessment of pathological conditions on give insight into individuals and communities skeletal elements can allow archaeologists to Culture Society and Praxis ISSN: 1544-3159 Published by Digital Commons @ CSUMB, 2008 1 Culture, Society, and Praxis, Vol. 7, No. 2 [2008], Art. 9 Lloyd, Bronwynn Forensic Anthropology - 25 give an interpretation on lifestyle of individu- hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia. The popula- als and what happened in their lives. tions studied were colored laborers in the northern frontiers of South Africa who lived Environmental Diseases on the outskirts of the towns. These people were poor, living on the margins of society Environmental pathological conditions are and could not afford many luxuries. These divided into lytic, proliferative, and deforma- communities were also agrarian based with tive lesions. These lesions appear as bone loss, their primary diet being cereal grains and depostis of extra bone, and deformities. With vegetable. As a result of their living situation, environmental diseases, the most common are the majority of the population studied did have lytic and deformative lesions. Environmental iron-deficiency anemia. However, since peo- factors that produce these lesions result from ple do not usually die from anemia, the high malnutrition and vitamin deficiency leading to mortality rate of individuals dating to the pe- diseases such as anemia, scurvy, and rickets. riod of the recorded smallpox epidemic sup- Malnutrition affects the bone through degen- ports the connection of high rates of malnutri- erative factors causing the bone to bend, tion resulting in iron-deficiency anemia and weaken, or become porous. high rates of deadly infectious diseases Anemia is a lytic bone disease causing ab- (Peckmann, 2003). normal loss of bone due to a lack of iron in the Since the primary cause of porotic hy- body’s system. Iron deficiency causes red perostosis is iron-deficiency anemia, it is not blood cells to become deformed so they have surprising the archaeologists can associate this to be expelled from the body. With anemia, disease with agrarian societies whose diets the production of new red blood cells is accel- focus around cereal grains and certain milks erated causing the skull to expand (Byers, (Peckmann, 2003). Archaeological support for 2008) and the ends of the long bones to flare this connection can be seen in the absence of (Swales, personal communication, August 4, porotic hyperostosis on skeletons prior to 2007). The primary result of iron-deficiency 10,000 years ago before the adoption of agri- anemia is the development of porotic hy- culture and sedentary societies (Peckmann, perostosis and cribra orbitalia (Stuart- 2003). As a result, archaeologists can deter- Macadam, 1989). mine individuals connected with agrarian and/ These diseases are characterized by porosity or poor communities where access to meat on the bones of the cranial vault and around high in iron is limited. the orbits. Studies of skeletons with these le- Coincidentally, iron-deficiency anemia is sions have shown that the diseases are most also connected with other deficient diseases common among persons from lower social such as vitamin C-deficiency scurvy (Clark et classes and individuals of black ancestry al, 1992). Since vitamin C helps to metabolize (Byers, 2008). Researchers have also found iron individuals exhibiting traits of anemia, that “in some cases, the presence of cribra or- especially in poorer communities, will also bitalia and porotic hyperostosis lesions hints at show signs of scurvy (Peckmann, 2003). individuals who have been or were exposed to However, it is difficult to discern between additional stressing agents” (Mitchell, 2003, these two conditions as they manifest simi- 176). larly on skeletal material (Swales, personal All three of these characteristics are sup- communication, August 4, 2007). Archaeolo- ported by a study done by Tanya Peckmann in gists can use the presence of scurvy on a 2003 that looked at the connection between skeleton along with other discernable traits to the smallpox epidemic of 1866 and porotic connect the individual to certain locations, oc- CS&P Vol 7. Num 2 Fall 2008 https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/csp/vol7/iss2/9 2 Lloyd: Forensic Anthropology, Paleopathology, and the Creation of Osteob 26 Forensic Anthropology CS&P cupations, and social circumstances. Depend- Osteophytosis appears as small spurs or ing on the region, this can indicate poorer ridges of bone called lipping, on an area that is communities where a limit of fresh produce normally smooth (Byers, 2008, p. 375). Often may have reserved it for persons of higher these occur on articular surfaces such as ver- status. Often scurvy is found in populations tebrae and joints. The areas of the shoulder, living in cooler climates or where there is lim- elbow, and knee are common areas for ridges ited access to produce (Brickley, 2000). The to develop from heavy lifting or long periods most common association with scurvy is with of kneeling. Many of these stress markers are sailors who would develop it on long voyages more common in third-world countries but can and often die. occur in industrial nations (Byers, 2008) al- Another nutritional deficiency often seen in lowing archaeologists to interpret a regional or young children, but can continue in adults, is economical association for the individuals. rickets. In adults this disease is called osteo- Osteochondritis dissecans and Eburnation, malacia. This degenerative disease is caused osteoarthritis, results from cartilage between by a lack of Vitamin D in the body resulting in the joints being worn away. The wearing of the bowing of weight-bearing limbs particu- osteochondritis dissecans forms indentations larly the legs (Byers, 2008). The disease is on the bone. Eburnation results in the polish- often associated with industrial areas, crowded ing of the bone because of the bone surfaces populations, conservative dress, and became rubbing against each other (Swales, personal very prevalent in the 17th and 18th centuries conversation, August 4, 2007). Both stress (Roberts and Manchester, 1995).