Anne Keenleyside

Changing Patterns of Health and Disease Among the Aleuts

Compared to other regions of North America, there have been relatively few paleo-pathological studies of arctic populations to date, particularly those aimed at elucidating patterns of health and disease prior to contact, and assessing temporal changes in disease patterns. In the present study, four Aleut skeletal samples representing one pre-contact population from Umnak Island in the eastern Aleutian Islands (N=65), and three late pre-contact/early contact period populations from Umnak, Kagamil, and Shiprock Islands (N=227), were examined macroscopically for indicators of health status. The analysis revealed some evidence of declining health in the late pre-contact/early contact period. Statistical comparisons of the earlier and later samples indicated a significantly higher frequency of cribra orbitalia and cranial infection in the later sample compared to the earlier one. Archaeological, epidemiological, and historical data point to several possible explanations for these findings, including the introduction of new pathogens by Europeans.

Infant feeding practices and childhood diet at Apollonia Pontica: Isotopic and dental evidence

OBJECTIVE This study analyzes deciduous dental pathology and stable isotopes to investigate the relationship between diet, feeding practices, and oral health in a subadult skeletal sample from the Greek colonial site of Apollonia Pontica, Bulgaria (mid-5th to mid-3rd Centuries BC). METHODS Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was conducted on 74 bone collagen samples, and the deciduous dentitions of 85 individuals aged 8.5 months to 11 years were examined for evidence of caries, calculus, antemortem tooth loss, abscesses, and occlusal tooth wear. RESULTS δ(13) C and δ(15) N values of the collagen samples indicate that weaning began between the ages of 6 months and 1 year, and was complete for most individuals by the age of 3. The isotopic data are consistent with a mixed diet of primarily terrestrial C3 resources. The dental pathology data indicate that complementary foods provided to young children had an impact on their oral health early on. Four outliers exhibited elevated δ(15) N values compared with the adult female range and lower levels of tooth wear than other members of their age groups. Possible explanations include prolonged breastfeeding, the consumption of diets elevated in (15) N, and physiological/nutritional stress. CONCLUSIONS The deciduous dental data correlate well with the isotopic data and are consistent with later textual sources regarding the timing and duration of weaning, and the composition of complementary foods. The results of this research demonstrate the value of combining isotopic and dental evidence to investigate the dietary practices of infants and young children and the impact of these practices on oral health.

Below the Callus Surface: Applying Paleohistological Techniques to Understand the Biology of Bone Healing in Skeletonized Human Remains

Objectives: Bone trauma is a common occurrence in human skeletal remains. Macroscopic and imaging scrutiny is the approach most currently used to analyze and describe trauma. Nevertheless, this line of inquiry may not be sufficient to accurately identify the type of traumatic lesion and the associated degree of bone healing. To test the usefulness of histology in the examination of bone healing biology, we used an integrative approach that combines gross inspection and microscopy. Materials and Methods: Six bone samples belonging to 5 adult individuals with signs of bone trauma were collected from the Human Identified Skeletal Collection from the Museu Bocage (Lisbon, Portugal). Previous to sampling, the lesions were described according to their location, morphology, and healing status. After sampling, the bone specimens were prepared for plane light and polarized light analysis. Results: The histological analysis was pivotal: (1) to differentiate between types of traumatic lesions; (2) to ascertain the posttraumatic interval, and (3) to diagnose other associated pathological conditions. Conclusion: The outer surface of a bone lesion may not give a complete picture of the biology of the tissues response. Accordingly, microscopic analysis is essential to differentiate, characterize, and classify trauma signs.

Bone Diagenesis and its Implication for Disease Diagnosis: The Relevance of Bone Microstructure Analysis for the Study of Past Human Remains.

When bone is exposed to the burial environment it may experience structural changes induced by multiple agents. The study of postmortem alterations is important to differentiate decomposition phenomena from normal physiological processes or pathological lesions, as well as to assess bone tissue quality. Microscopy is of great utility to evaluate the integrity of bone microstructure and it provides significant data on long-term bone decomposition. A total of 18 human bone sections (eight archeological and ten retrieved from an identified skeletal collection) were selected for analysis under plane light and polarized light. The aim of this exploratory study was to analyze the impact of diagenesis and taphonomy on the bone microstructure, as well as on the differential diagnosis of pathological conditions. The results showed that the microscopy approach to bone tissues contributed materially as an aid in the detailed description of the main diagenetic changes observed. It showed that gross inspection does not provide a realistic assessment of bone tissue preservation, which can impact in the characterization of lesions present and subsequent disease diagnosis. Therefore, researchers should continue to consider the application of histological techniques if the aim is to comprehend tissue integrity and its association with decomposition or disease.

Congenital aural atresia in an adult female from Apollonia Pontica, Bulgaria

Few cases of congenital malformation of the external auditory meatus have been reported in the paleopathological literature. This paper describes a case of unilateral aural atresia in an adult female skeleton from the Greek colonial site of Apollonia Pontica on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. The anomaly is described and its impact on this individuals ability to hear is evaluated using modern clinical data. Despite the loss of directional hearing and a visible malformation of the external ear, this individual would likely have led a fairly normal life and would have been capable of performing any number of everyday tasks.

Faces from the Franklin expedition? Craniofacial reconstructions of two members of the 1845 northwest passage expedition

In 2013, partial skeletal remains from three members of the 1845 John Franklin expedition were recovered from an archaeological site at Erebus Bay, King William Island, Nunavut. The remains included three crania, two of which were sufficiently intact to allow craniofacial reconstructions. Identifications are not proposed for either reconstruction; however, tentative identifications are being explored through DNA analyses currently underway that include samples obtained from both crania.

Medieval Migrations: Isotope Analysis of Early Medieval Skeletons on the Isle of Man

Abstract MANX NATIONAL HERITAGE re-opened its Viking and Medieval Gallery in 2007. Isotope analysis of two archaeologically famous skeletons, the Balladoole Viking and the Pagan Lady of Peel, was undertaken to gain information on Viking-Age migration and regional interaction. Additional testing of five early medieval skeletons from the St Patrick’s Isle cemetery and two from Speke Keeill was also completed. Here we present the results of the analysis of dental enamel using strontium, oxygen, and carbon isotope ratios. The off-island origins of many of these individuals are confirmed, as well as the role of migration in island demographics. Abstract Migrations à l’époque médiévale: analyse isotopique de squelettes du début du Moyen Âge sur l’Île de Man par Leigh Symonds, T Douglas Price, Anne Keenleyside et James Burton L’Institut du patrimoine de l’Île de Man a rouvert en 2007 sa galerie consacrée à l’Âge Viking et au Moyen Âge. L’analyse isotopique de deux squelettes bien connus des archéologues — le Viking de Balladoole et la Dame païenne de Peel — visait à recueillir des informations sur les migrations à l’époque Viking et les interactions régionales. Des tests supplémentaires ont également été réalisés sur cinq squelettes du début du Moyen Âge provenant du cimetière de l’Île de St Patrick et de deux autres de Speke Keeill. Nous présentons ici les résultats de l’analyse de l’émail dentaire à partir des concentrations isotopiques de strontium, d’oxygène, et de carbone. Le fait que ces individus ne soient pas d’origine mannoise a été confirmé, en même temps que le rôle qu’ont joué les migrations dans la démographie des habitants de l’île. Abstract Migration im Mittelalter: Isotopenanalyse frühmittelalterlicher Skelette von der Isle of Man von Leigh Symonds, T Douglas Price, Anne Keenleyside und James Burton 2007 hat Manx National Heritage seine Galerie für die Wikingerzeit und das Mittelalter wieder eröffnet. Es wurden Isotopanalysen von zwei unter Archäologen berühmten Skeletten, dem Wikinger von Balladoole und der “Pagan Lady of Peel” (der heidnischen Dame von Peel), durchgeführt, um Informationen über die Migration und regionale Interaktion in der Wikingerzeit zu erhalten. Zusätzliche Untersuchungen an fünf frühmittelalterlichen Skeletten vom Friedhof auf St Patrick’s Isle und an zwei Skeletten aus Speke Keeill wurden ebenfalls abgeschlossen. Hier präsentieren wir die Ergebnisse der Analyse von Zahnschmelz mithilfe des Verhältnisses von Strontium-, Sauerstoff- und Kohlenstoffisotopen. Hierbei wurden die Abstammung vieler dieser Individuen von Orten außerhalb der Insel sowie die Rolle der Migration in der Demographie der Insel bestätigt. Abstract Migrazioni medievali: analisi isotopica di scheletri altomedievali dell’isola di Man di Leigh Symonds, T Douglas Price, Anne Keenleyside e James Burton Nel 2007 il Manx National Heritage ha riaperto la galleria vichinga e medievale. Allo scopo di acquisire informazioni sulle invasioni del periodo vichingo e sulle interazioni regionali, si è intrapresa l’analisi isotopica di due scheletri famosi in ambito archeologico, quello del vichingo di Balladoole e quello della dama pagana di Peel. Si sono compiute inoltre le analisi di altri cinque scheletri altomedievali del cimitero dell’isola di St Patrick e di due scheletri di Speke Keeill. Qui vengono presentati i risultati delle analisi dello smalto dentale eseguite utilizzando i rapporti degli isotopi di stronzio, di ossigeno e di carbonio. Si ha la conferma sia dell’origine al di fuori dell’isola di molti di questi individui sia del ruolo delle invasioni nella demografia isolana.

Franklin expedition lead exposure: New insights from high resolution confocal x-ray fluorescence imaging of skeletal microstructure

In the summer of 1845, under the command of Sir John Franklin, 128 officers and men aboard Royal Navy ships HMS Erebus and HMS Terror sailed into Lancaster Sound and entered the waters of Arctic North America. The goal of this expedition was to complete the discovery of a northwest passage by navigating the uncharted area between Barrow Strait and Simpson Strait. Franklin and his crew spent the first winter at Beechey Island, where three crewmen died and were buried. In September 1846, the ships became stranded in ice off the northwest coast of King William Island, where they remained until April 1848. At that time, the crew, reduced to 105, deserted the ships and retreated south along the island’s western and southern shores in a desperate attempt to reach the mainland and via the Back River, to obtain aid at a Hudson’s Bay Company Post. Sadly, not one individual survived. Previous analyses of bone, hair, and soft tissue samples from expedition remains found that crewmembers’ tissues contained elevated lead (Pb) levels, suggesting that Pb poisoning may have contributed to their demise; however, questions remain regarding the timing and degree of exposure and, ultimately, the extent to which the crewmembers may have been impacted. To address this historical question, we investigated three hypotheses. First, if elevated Pb exposure was experienced by the crew during the expedition, we hypothesized that those sailors who survived longer (King William Island vs. Beechey Island) would exhibit more extensive uptake of Pb in their bones and vice versa. Second, we hypothesized that Pb would be elevated in bone microstructural features forming at or near the time of death compared with older tissue. Finally, if Pb exposure played a significant role in the failure of the expedition we hypothesized that bone samples would exhibit evidence of higher and more sustained uptake of Pb than that of a contemporary comparator naval population from the 19th century. To test these hypotheses, we analyzed bone and dental remains of crew members and compared them against samples derived from the Royal Navy cemetery in Antigua. Synchrotron-based high resolution confocal X-ray fluorescence imaging was employed to visualize Pb distribution within bone and tooth microstructures at the micro scale. The data did not support our first hypothesis as Pb distribution within the samples from the two different sites was similar. Evidence of Pb within skeletal microstructural features formed near the time of death lent support to our second hypothesis but consistent evidence of a marked elevation in Pb levels was lacking. Finally, the comparative analysis with the Antigua samples did not support the hypothesis that the Franklin sailors were exposed to an unusually high level of Pb for the time period. Taken all together our skeletal microstructural results do not support the conclusion that Pb played a pivotal role in the loss of Franklin and his crew.

Beyond the visible world: the role of microscopy in the study of past human conditions

Paleopathology, summarily defined as the study of past diseases, has on the differential diagnosis a major challenge. Histological techniques offered the possibility to look inside the microstructure of both normal and abnormal body tissues to diagnose diseases that affected past populations, leading to the development of a new field of research paleohistology or paleohistopathology. However, and contrary to paleopathology whose journey is well-established, in paleohistopathology there are many gaps that need to be filled. This occurrence is probably the result of a nonsystematic and nonstandardized approach to the microscopic study of skeletal abnormalities, especially those of infectious origin involving periosteal new bone formation (PNBF). The aims of this work were: (1) to search for differences in the microstructure of PNBF with regard to the cause of death of the individual; (2) to infer differences between the macroscopic and microscopic proprieties of bone lesions, and (3) to ascertain the impact of diagenetic changes in the bone microstructure. For histological examination under transmitted and polarized light, a total of 34 dry bone specimens: 26 belonging to 23 individuals from the Human Identified Skeletal Collection from the Bocage Museum (Lisbon, Portugal), and eight from archaeological skeletons were prepared. The documented bone samples were collected from individuals who died from tuberculosis-TB (Group 1), non-TB infectious diseases (Group 2), and conditions other than those of TB and non-TB infectious origin (Group 3).