Daniel Antoine

The developmental clock of dental enamel: a test for the periodicity of prism cross‐striations in modern humans and an evaluation of the most likely sources of error in histological studies of this kind

Dental tissues contain regular microscopic structures believed to result from periodic variations in the secretion of matrix by enamel‐ and dentine‐forming cells. Counts of these structures are an important tool for reconstructing the chronology of dental development in both modern and fossil hominids. Most studies rely on the periodicity of the regular cross‐banding that occurs along the long axis of enamel prisms. These prism cross‐striations are widely thought to reflect a circadian rhythm of enamel matrix secretion and are generally regarded as representing daily increments of tissue. Previously, some researchers have argued against the circadian periodicity of these structures and questioned their use in reconstructing dental development. Here we tested the periodicity of enamel cross‐striations – and the accuracy to which they can be used – in the developing permanent dentition of five children, excavated from a 19th century crypt in London, whose age‐at‐death was independently known. The interruption of crown formation by death was used to calibrate cross‐striation counts. All five individuals produced counts that were strongly consistent with those expected from the independently known ages, taking into account the position of the neonatal line and factors of preservation. These results confirm that cross‐striations do indeed reflect a circadian rhythm in enamel matrix secretion. They further validate their use in reconstructing dental development and in determining the age‐at‐death of the remains of children whose dentitions are still forming at the time of death. Significantly they identify the most likely source of error and the common difficulties encountered in histological studies of this kind.

On the Antiquity of Cancer: Evidence for Metastatic Carcinoma in a Young Man from Ancient Nubia (c. 1200BC)

Cancer, one of the world’s leading causes of death today, remains almost absent relative to other pathological conditions, in the archaeological record, giving rise to the conclusion that the disease is mainly a product of modern living and increased longevity. This paper presents a male, young-adult individual from the archaeological site of Amara West in northern Sudan (c. 1200BC) displaying multiple, mainly osteolytic, lesions on the vertebrae, ribs, sternum, clavicles, scapulae, pelvis, and humeral and femoral heads. Following radiographic, microscopic and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) imaging of the lesions, and a consideration of differential diagnoses, a diagnosis of metastatic carcinoma secondary to an unknown soft tissue cancer is suggested. This represents the earliest complete example in the world of a human who suffered metastatic cancer to date. The study further draws its strength from modern analytical techniques applied to differential diagnoses and the fact that it is firmly rooted within a well-documented archaeological and historical context, thus providing new insights into the history and antiquity of the disease as well as its underlying causes and progression.

Interactive visualization of 3d scanned mummies at public venues

A full-body virtual autopsy of an ancient Egyptian mummy showed visitors he was likely murdered.

The Archaeology of Plague

Researchers from a wide array of disciplines have investigated ancient “plagues”, from fields as diverse as microbiology, ancient history, epidemiology, zoology, palaeopathology and archaeology, both independently from each other or in collaborative multidisciplinary teams. This paper aims to discuss the role of archaeology within such investigations and, perhaps more significantly, to highlight some of the limitations of the archaeological data on which many such studies are based. Non-archaeologists may not fully appreciate these limitations, as archaeology invariably operates under the constraints of an incomplete, biased, poorly preserved and often problematic sample. Only once these limitations are taken into account can the archaeological record be used to its “full” potential. Applying scientific methods to, and developing elaborate theories from, archaeological material without taking such shortcomings into account can seriously affect academic validity. Nonetheless, archaeology has a role to play in the study of ancient “plagues”. Archaeological methods from a wide range of sub-disciplines can offer additional or alternative avenues of research that may help us identify and understand the diseases behind ancient “plagues”. The Black Death burial site at East Smithfield, London, will provide a background to the discussion.1

Changes in mandibular dimensions during the mediaeval to post-mediaeval transition in London: A possible response to decreased masticatory load

OBJECTIVES Biomechanical forces, such as those produced during mastication, are considered a primary agent in stimulating craniofacial growth and development. There appears to be a strong connection between the strength of the masticatory muscles and the dimensions of the craniofacial complex, with changes in biomechanical force and muscular strength influencing and altering the underlying bony tissues. This is markedly apparent in the mandible and it is possible to infer that changes to mandibular form are due in part to dietary changes. This study aims to investigate this idea by using an archaeological sample from a period that experienced important dietary changes as a result of the Industrial Revolution. DESIGN 279 skeletons from the mediaeval and post-mediaeval periods in London were selected for analysis, and a detailed metric examination of each mandible was carried out. RESULTS Males and females were analysed separately and statistically significant reductions were observed in nearly all post-mediaeval measurements. This effect was most pronounced in the areas of the mandible associated with masticatory muscles attachment, including the gonial angle, ramus height and width, bi-gonial breadth and bi-condylar breadth. CONCLUSIONS These recorded changes in mandibular morphology of mediaeval and post-mediaeval Londoners are most likely the result of a shift in diet (and associated decrease in masticatory function) observed in the period surrounding the Industrial Revolution.

Application of the Bang and Ramm Age at Death Estimation Method to Two Known-Age Archaeological Assemblages

The Bang and Ramm method uses root dentine translucency (RDT) length in sectioned or unsectioned teeth as a sole indicator of chronological age at death in adult human remains. The formulae have been tested on modern remains of known age and on modern and archaeological remains of unknown age. This is the first published study of the method on known-age archaeological specimens and tests whether RDT is a good indicator of chronological age in buried human remains. We applied the Bang and Ramm equations to two 18th and 19th century assemblages excavated from the crypt of Christ Church, Spitalfields, and the cemetery of All Hallows by the Tower. Translucency was defined by shining a light through the external unsectioned root surface and was measured from digital images of 583 and 83 nonmolar roots from 126 Spitalfields and 12 All Hallows individuals, respectively, aged 21-81 years. Average absolute difference between real age and estimated age was 10.7 years and 8.4 years for Spitalfields and All Hallows individuals, respectively, with 58% and 75% estimated within 10 years of known age, and 29% and 33% estimated within five years of known age. These estimations are comparable to results from other ageing methods applied to the Spitalfields collection. Ages from both populations were estimated largely to the middle ranges, with younger individuals overestimated and older individuals underestimated. This is a common occurrence when using inverse calibration, where age is treated as the dependent variable and the ageing feature as the independent variable.

Natural mummies from Predynastic Egypt reveal the world’s earliest figural tattoos

Abstract The application of tattoos to the human body has enjoyed a long and diverse history in many ancient cultures. At present, the oldest surviving examples are the mainly geometric tattoos on the individual known as Otzi, dating to the late 4th millennium BCE, whose skin was preserved by the ice of the Tyrolean Alps. In the Egyptian Nile valley, the arid climate has also promoted extensive soft tissue preservation. Here we report on the tattoos found during the examination of two of the best preserved naturally mummified bodies from Egypts Predynastic (c. 4000-3100 BCE) period, making them the earliest extant examples from the Nile Valley. Figural tattoos that mirror motifs found in Predynastic art were observed on the right arm of one male and the right arm and shoulder of one female, demonstrating conclusively that tattooing was practiced in prehistoric Egypt. These findings overturn the circumstantial evidence of the artistic record that previously suggested only females were tattooed for fertility or even erotic reasons. Radiocarbon testing and datable iconographic parallels for the motifs indicate that these tattooed individuals are nearly contemporaneous with the Iceman, positioning them amongst the bearers of some of the oldest preserved tattoos in the world. At over five thousand years of age, they push back the evidence for tattooing in Africa by a millennium and provide new insights into the range of potential uses of tattoos in pre-literate societies by both sexes, revealing new contexts for exploring the visual language of prehistoric times.