Valentina Mariotti

Funerary practices of the Iberomaurusian population of Taforalt (Tafoughalt, Morocco, 11-12,000 BP): the case of Grave XII.

The Iberomaurusian necropolis of Taforalt (Morocco, 11-12000 BP), excavated by Roche in the 1950s, contains 28 multiple graves. The funerary practices of the Taforalt population have been the focus of a previous work (Mariotti et al., 2009). In the absence of the excavation records of the necropolis, these funerary practices were investigated through the analysis of the contents of each grave and the distribution of intentionally modified specimens (ochre-dyeing, cut marks). Previous research has drawn particular attention to Grave XII (containing three male adults and two juveniles), where many intentionally modified specimens were identified. The present study focused specifically on the human remains recovered from Grave XII. Analysis of these remains has provided evidence of interventions, such as dismemberment and defleshing of the cadaver, and the use of ochre to colour the bones. Furthermore, the presence of lesions on two skulls suggests the possibility of intentional killing and cannibalism among the Taforalt population. This study further supports our previous impression of the complex and diversified funerary practices, characterising the social life of the Iberomaurusian population of Taforalt.

Hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI) and castration: the case of the famous singer Farinelli (1705-1782)

The famous castrato singer Farinelli (1705–1782) was exhumed by our research group in July 2006 for the purpose of gaining some insight into his biological profile through a study of his skeletal remains. Farinelli was castrated before puberty to preserve the treble pitch of the boy’s voice into adult life. His powerful and sweet voice became legendary. In spite of its bad preservation state, the skeleton displayed some interesting characteristics that are probably related to the effects of castration, including long limb‐bones, persistence of epiphyseal lines and osteoporosis. In particular, the frontal bone was affected by severe hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI). This condition consists in a symmetrical thickening of the inner table of the bone. The epidemiology of HFI shows that it is relatively common in postmenopausal women but very rare in men. Men affected by this pathology suffer from diseases, syndromes or treatments causing androgen deficiency. In the case of Farinelli, castration was probably responsible for the onset and development of this lesion.

Variation of the Anterior Aspect of the Femoral Head- Neck Junction in a Modern Human Identified Skeletal Collection

The effectiveness of the so-called skeletal markers of activity as functional indicators is widely debated. Among them, certain morphological features of the anterior aspect of the femoral head-neck junction (Poiriers facet, cervical fossa of Allen, etc.) have been considered in relation to some behaviors and specific activities (e.g., squatting, horseback riding, etc.). However, disagreement on terminology and descriptions, the absence of standardized scoring methods and poor knowledge of the variability and distribution of these features make it difficult to interpret their meaning. The aim of this study is to analyze the variability of the anterior aspect of the femoral neck through a new scoring method taking into account three main traits: Poiriers facet, plaque, and cribra (including the Allens fossa). This method has been applied to a sample of 225 adult individuals of both sexes coming from an identified modern skeletal collection, achieving low intraobserver and interobserver error values. The results highlight some significant trends: plaque, almost always bilateral, appears to be a normal condition of the femur, being present in approximately 90% of the individuals. Cribra is more frequent in females and decreases with age. Poiriers facet shows a very low frequency. This method allows the representation of both the anatomical diversity of the region already described in literature and part of the variability never considered before. Our results suggest caution in considering these features as markers related to specific activities.

Lower limb entheseal morphology in the Neandertal Krapina population (Croatia, 130 000 BP)

Although the Neandertal locomotor system has been shown to differ from Homo sapiens, characteristics of Neandertal entheses, the skeletal attachments for muscles, tendons, ligaments and joint capsules, have never been specifically investigated. Here, we analyse lower limb entheses of the Krapina Neandertal bones (Croatia, 130,000 BP) with the aim of determining how they compare with modern humans, using a standard developed by our research group for describing modern human entheseal variability. The entheses examined are those of the gluteus maximus, iliopsoas and vastus medialis on the femur, the quadriceps tendon on the patella, and soleus on the tibia. For the entheses showing a different morphological pattern from H. sapiens, we discuss the possibility of recognising genetic versus environmental causes. Our results indicate that only the gluteus maximus enthesis (the gluteal tuberosity), falls out of the modern human range of variation. It displays morphological features that could imply histological differences from modern humans, in particular the presence of fibrocartilage. In both H. sapiens and the Krapina Neandertals, the morphological pattern of this enthesis is the same in adult and immature femurs. These results can be interpreted in light of genetic differences between the two hominins. The possibility of functional adaptations to higher levels of mechanical load during life in the Neandertals seems less likely. The particular morphology and large dimensions of the Krapina enthesis, and perhaps its fibrocartilaginous nature, could have been selected for in association with other pelvic and lower limb characteristics, even if genetic drift cannot be ruled out.

In search of consensus: Terminology for entheseal changes (EC)

This article presents a consensus terminology for entheseal changes that was developed in English by an international team of scholars and then translated into French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and German. Use of a standard, neutral terminology to describe entheseal morphology will reduce misunderstandings between researchers, improve the reliability of comparisons between studies, and eliminate unwarranted etiological assumptions inherent in some of the descriptive terms presently used in the literature.

Skeletal evidence of tuberculosis in a modern identified human skeletal collection (Certosa cemetery, Bologna, Italy)

The diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in osteoarcheological series relies on the identification of osseous lesions caused by the disease. The study of identified skeletal collections provides the opportunity to investigate the distribution of skeletal lesions in relation to this disease. The aim of this study was to examine the skeletal evidence for TB in late adolescent and adult individuals from the identified human collection of the Certosa cemetery of Bologna (Italy, 19th-20th c.). The sample group consists of 244 individuals (138 males, 106 females) ranging from 17 to 88 years of age. The sample was divided into three groups on the basis of the recorded cause of death: TB (N = 64), pulmonary non-TB (N = 29), and other diseases (N = 151). Skeletal lesions reported to be related to TB were analyzed. The vertebral lesions were classified into three types: enlarged foramina (EnF, vascular foramina with diameter of 3-5 mm), erosions (ER), and other foramina (OtF, cavities of various shapes > 3 mm). A CT scan analysis was also performed on vertebral bodies. Some lesions were seldom present in our sample (e.g., tuberculous arthritis). OtF (23.7%) and subperiosteal new bone formation on ribs (54.2%) are significantly more frequent in the TB group with respect to the other groups. The CT scan analysis showed that the vertebrae of individuals who have died of TB may have internal cavities in the absence of external lesions. These traits represent useful elements in the paleopathological diagnosis of TB.

Variation of skeletal degenerative joint disease features in an identified Italian modern skeletal collection

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of degenerative joint disease (DJD) features (marginal lipping, porosity, surface osteophytes, eburnation, and loss of joint morphology) with sex, age, and occupation. MATERIALS AND METHODS We devised a recording method for scoring the single features in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, and ankle of an Italian skeletal sample of 332 individuals (males = 161, females = 171) of known sex, age, and occupation from the Frassetto collection (Sassari, Sardinia, 19th-20th century). RESULTS Our data revealed that: (1) the frequency of all features increases with age; (2) porosity is the first feature to appear, being in general the most frequent feature in young adults; (3) sex differences are especially found in the upper limbs of mature and elderly adults; (4) marginal lipping and surface osteophytes show a lesser age correlation and, in general, higher frequencies in the left lower limb; (5) no differences were found among different occupations. DISCUSSION We explain these results in light of different metabolic and adaptive processes in relation to age and sex. Static (weight-bearing) rather than dynamic mechanical stress could play a pivotal role in the distribution of the features observed in the lower limbs. The considerable increase in marginal lipping and surface osteophytes in elderly adults may be an adaptation for sustaining mechanical loading, balancing the loss of bone tissue which is characteristic of ageing processes (osteopenia, osteoporosis). Am J Phys Anthropol, 2016.

The new Coimbra method for recording entheseal changes and the effect of age-at-death

Entheseal changes have been widely used in anthropology to study activity patterns, but there is an increasing awareness that ageing is associated with these changes. The aim of this study was to test each feature of the new Coimbra method for its variability, side asymmetry and its relationship with age. In addition to this, an overall relationship with age was tested for a larger sample. Males 16 and over from the Coimbra skeletal collection of historically identified individuals were recorded using the new method (N = 260). To reduce the impact of occupation, side variability in asymmetry and age were only tested in the labourers (N = 51). All occupation groups were included to test the overall relationship with age using a random forest test. The results show that scores lack variability for many of the features and entheses. Where there is side asymmetry this is typically in favour of higher scores in the right side, excepting the biceps brachii insertion. Most of the features scored show a relationship with ageing, but this is not uniform for all features or entheses. Some features are associated with an increase in age (bone formation and erosions), while others generally occur in younger individuals (fine porosity and textural change). Logistic regression showed that ageing explains at most 44% of the variability. This alongside the side asymmetry may indicate that biomechanics has an explanatory role.RésuméLes changements au niveau des enthèses ont été largement utilisés en anthropologie biologique pour discuter des patterns d’activités, malgré les études de plus en plus fréquentes associant ces changements principalement au vieillissement. L’objectif de cette étude est d’illustrer, pour chacune des modifications enregistrées avec la nouvelle méthode de Coimbra, la distribution générale des scores, l’asymétrie et leur relation à l’âge. Une étude plus globale sur l’effet du vieillissement a également été menée. L’analyse porte sur un échantillon de squelettes de sujets masculins décédés à 16 ans ou plus issus de la collection de squelettes identifiés de Coimbra (n = 260). Pour réduire l’influence de l’activité physique, seuls les sujets avec la profession de « trabalhador » (travailleur) ont été utilisés dans les tests sur l’asymétrie et l’âge (n = 51). Pour l’étude globale sur l’effet du vieillissement, toutes les professions ont été incluses dans une analyse utilisant les forêts aléatoires. Les résultats montrent que la variabilité des scores est faible pour la plupart des changements et des enthèses. Il existe une asymétrie assez claire avec des scores plus élevés du côté droit, sauf pour l’insertion du biceps brachii. La plupart des changements enregistrés présentent une corrélation positive avec l’âge au décès, sans toutefois être systématiques pour tous les changements ou toutes les enthèses considérées. Certains changements sont plus fréquents chez les sujets âgés (formation osseuse, érosion), alors que d’autres se retrouvent plus souvent chez les jeunes sujets (porosité fine et changement mineur de surface). Une régression logistique montre que le vieillissement explique au mieux 44 % de la variabilité perçue. Cela, ainsi que l’asymétrie directionnelle observée, pourrait indiquer que les phénomènes biomécaniques jouent un rôle dans l’apparition de ces changements.

Patterns of Irregular Burials in Western Europe (1st-5th Century A.D.)

Background Irregular burials (IB—burials showing features that contrast with the majority of others in their geographic and chronological context) have been the focus of archaeological study because of their relative rarity and enigmatic appearance. Interpretations of IB often refer to supposed fear of the dead or to social processes taking place in time-specific contexts. However, a comprehensive and quantitative analysis of IB for various geographical contexts is still lacking, a fact that hampers any discussion of these burials on a larger scale. Methods Here, we collected a bibliographic dataset of 375 IB from both Britain and Continental Europe, altogether spanning a time period from the 1st to the 5th century AD. Each burial has been coded according to ten dichotomous variables, further analyzed by means of chi-squared tests on absolute frequencies, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and cluster analysis. Results Even acknowledging the limits of this study, and in particular the bias represented by the available literature, our results point to interesting patterns. Geographically, IB show a contrast between Britain and Continental Europe, possibly related to historical processes specific to these regions. Different types of IB (especially prone depositions and depositions with the cephalic extremity displaced) present a series of characteristics and associations between features that permit a more detailed conceptualization of these occurrences from a socio-cultural perspective that aids to elucidate their funerary meaning. Conclusions and Significance Altogether, the present work stresses the variability of IB, and the need to contextualize them in a proper archaeological and historical context. It contributes to the discussion of IB by providing a specific geographic and chronological frame of reference that supports a series of hypotheses about the cultural processes possibly underlying their occurrence.

A muscular imprint on the anterolateral surface of the proximal femurs of the Krapina Neandertal collection

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to report and interpret a feature on the anterolateral surface of the proximal femurs of the Krapina hominid collection that we briefly described in 2006 (Periodicum Biologorum, 108, 319-329). MATERIALS AND METHODS We recorded the presence or absence of the feature in all the proximal femurs of the Krapina collection (six specimens recordable) and in 622 modern human adult femurs. RESULTS The feature consists in a series of crests delimitating three raised or depressed areas. This feature has been found in three out of four adult Neandertal femurs observable. The two observable subadult Neandertal femurs do not show this character. None of the modern femurs displayed the feature. CONCLUSION We interpret this feature as a muscular imprint, probably representing the m. vastus intermedius origin and discuss a possible interpretation. We did not find any other references for such imprint in the existing literature regarding the Neandertal femurs.