Perils, Potential and Perspectives of Bioarchaeological Analyses in the Study of Mediterranean Mobility

The resolution of bioarchaeological analyses has improved dramatically in recent years, and bioarchaeology is increasingly employed in areas of the world where preservation issues and disciplinary traditions had previously hindered its application. One such area is the Mediterranean region. Bioarchaeological analyses arguably are the most direct indicator of human behavior in the past, and as a result the full integration of bioarchaeology and archaeology into Mediterranean research shows much promise. However, several methodological, theoretical and practical challenges have emerged: (1) discrepancies between cultural and biological variability; (2) discrepancies in the dating of skeletal samples and of migration events in the two subdisciplines; (3) diverging interpretations of (collective) identities; and (4) the fostering of effective cross-disciplinary communication and collaboration. While the first two points are especially salient for Mediterranean research, the third and fourth are relevant for the archaeological discipline more generally. In this paper, we discuss each challenge in turn, focusing on the first millennium bc Greek diaspora in the Mediterranean. We believe that both disciplines would benefit from open discussion of these issues, which we hope might spur more collaborative efforts towards their resolution.

A Digital X-Ray Analysis of Middle Bronze Age Skeletal Samples from the Baraba Forest-Steppe

Представлены результаты сравнительного комплексного исследования патологического развития костной и зубной систем у индивидов из погребений позднекротовской и андроновской (федоровской) культур эпохи развитой бронзы на юге Западной Сибири. Этот период характеризуется расширением ареала носителей степных традиций андроновской историко-культурной общности в Северной и Центральной Азии, в т.ч. в лесостепь. Изучены изменения внутренней структуры костной ткани на большеберцовых костях (линии Гарриса) и зубные патологии (гипоплазия эмали, кариес). Для фиксации нарушений нормального развития костной ткани использовалось цифровое рентгенографическое оборудование. В выборку включены представители разных половозрастных групп обеих культур из материалов крупнейшего некрополя региона Тартас-1 (Барабинская лесостепь). Линии Гарриса и гипоплазия эмали возникают под действием широкого спектра факторов (инфекционные болезни, периодическое голодание, травмы, авитаминоз и пр.). Кариес отражает увеличение в рационе углеводной составляющей и общий низкий уровень гигиены полости рта. Время формирования каждой из этих патологий различно, что позволяет предполагать неблагоприятные факторы, влияющие на развитие человека в детский, подростковый (линии Гарриса и гипопалазия) и взрослый (кариес) периоды жизни. Выявлены различия в частотах и сочетаниях патологий у представителей позднекротовской и андроновской популяций. В андроновской выборке ниже частота гипоплазии, что указывает на меньшую долю стресса в детском возрасте, а в позднекротовской — линий Гарриса, что может свидетельствовать о низком уровне стресса в подростковый период. Статистические различия в проявлении анализируемых патологий у обеих групп предварительно связываются с различными моделями хозяйственно-культурной адаптации.

The Use of Computed Tomography for the Study of Chronic Maxillary Sinusitis: Based on Crania from the Pucará De Tilcara Fortress, Argentina

We discuss the methodological advantages of using X-ray computed tomography (CT) for diagnosing chronic maxillary sinusitis (CMS) of various etiologies on skeletal samples. A CT examination of 20 crania from the Pucará de Tilcara fortress, Argentina (late 8th to 16th centuries AD), was carried out. Criteria for identifying CMS included osteitic lesions in the form of focal destruction, and thickened and sclerotized walls of maxillary sinuses. To determine the etiology of the disease, a tomographic and macroscopic examination of the dentition and bones of the ostiomeatal complex were performed, the presence or absence of facial injuries was assessed, and the co-occurrence of various pathologies was statistically evaluated. Five cases of CMS were identified. Four of these may be of odontogenic origin; in two cases, a secondary infection of the maxillary sinuses is possible. In one instance, the etiology was not determined. No indications of traumatic infection were found. Statistical analysis revealed a relationship of CMS with apical periodontitis and the ante-mortem loss of upper molars and premolars. An indirect symptom of CMS may be the remodeled bone tissue and porosity of the posterior surface of the maxilla.

Comparing two automated methods of DNA extraction from degraded skeletal remains

DNA extraction from degraded skeletal samples is often particularly challenging. The difficulty derives from the fact that variable environment has significant effect on DNA preservation. During the years 2002-2015 unidentified degraded skeletal remains were accumulated at our institute, National Institute of Forensic Medicine (NIFM), most of them with none or partial DNA profile.As new methods rapidly emerge, we revisited the samples with partial DNA profiles. We have chosen to use these samples to compare two automated methods: Prepfiler Express BTA (Applied Biosystems) and QIAcube (Quiagen), in hope of acquiring a more complete DNA profile and eventually even make new identifications. In both methods a preparation step is required, after which the samples undergo automatic DNA extraction.The two protocols are based on different extraction methods. Fresh or non-problematic bone samples as the positive control gave the same results in both methods. In the degraded skeletal samples, the results were significantly better using the QIAcube method.

Two Probable Cases of Infection with Treponema pallidum during the Neolithic Period in Northern Vietnam (ca. 2000–1500 B.C.)

Skeletal evidence of two probable cases of treponematosis, caused by infection with the bacterium Treponema pallidum, from the northern Vietnamese early Neolithic site of Man Bac (1906–1523 cal B.C.) is described. The presence of nodes of subperiosteal new bone directly associated with superficial focal cavitations in a young adult male and a seven-year- old child are strongly diagnostic for treponemal disease. Climatic and epidemiological contexts suggest yaws (Treponema pallidum pertenue) as the most likely causative treponeme. This evidence is the oldest discovered in the Asia-Pacific region and is the first well-established pre-Columbian example in this region in terms of diagnosis and secure dating. The coastal ecology, sedentary settlement, and high fertility at the site of Man Bac all provided a biosocial context conducive to the spread of treponemal disease among inhabitants of the site. Co-morbidity with scurvy in both individuals demonstrates that malnutrition during the agricultural transition may have exacerbated the expression of treponematosis in this community. Man Bac is a site of great regional importance owing to its role during the Neolithic transition of Mainland Southeast Asia. During this transition, approximately 4,000 years ago, farmers migrating from southern China into Southeast Asia influenced a number of changes in subsistence and demography and potentially introduced new infectious diseases such as treponematosis to indigenous forager communities. The findings presented here may encourage reevaluation of existing Southeast Asian skeletal samples and demonstrate the importance of using weighted diagnostic criteria for future reporting of treponematosis cases. Hai trường hợp nhiều khả năng mắc bệnh ghẻ cóc do nhiễm vi khuẩn Treponema pallidum, thuộc di chỉ Mán Bạc sơ kì đá mới Việt Nam (cal 1906–1523 B.C.) được mô tả trên bằng chứng di cốt. Sự có mặt của các hạt xương mới dưới màng xương trực tiếp liên quan đến các lỗ ổ bề mặt ở một nam trẻ tuổi trưởng thành và một trẻ em 7 tuổi là chẩn đoán nhiều khả năng cho bệnh này. Bối cảnh khí hậu và dịch tễ học cho thấy bệnh ghẻ cóc do nhiễm xoắn khuẩn Treponema pallidum pertenue là nguyên nhân phổ biến nhất. Bằng chứng trên được phát hiện muộn nhất ở khu vực Châu Á-Thái Bình Dương và là một ví dụ điển hình đầu tiên giai đoạn tiền Columbia trong khu vực này dựa vào chẩn đoán và định niên đại chính xác. Sinh thái biển, lối sống ít di động, và tỷ lệ sinh sản cao ở di chỉ Mán Bạc, tất cả đã tạo ra sự tương tác giữa các yếu tố sinh học và xã hội thuận lợi cho việc lây lan bệnh ghẻ cóc giữa các cư dân thuộc di chỉ này. Cùng với đó là sự mắc bệnh thiếu vitamin C (scurvy) ở cả hai cá thể trên chỉ ra rằng sự suy dinh dưỡng trong suốt quá trình chuyển tiếp nông nghiệp có thể trầm trọng hơn và biểu hiện bệnh ghẻ cóc ở cộng đồng này. Mán Bạc là một di chỉ vùng quan trọng bởi vì nó nằm trong ranh giới giai đoạn chuyển tiếp Đá Mới của Đông Nam Á lục địa. Trong suốt bước chuyển này, khoảng 4000 năm cách đây, các cư dân nông nghiệp di cư từ miền nam Trung Quốc vào Đông Nam Á đã ảnh hưởng nhiều thay đổi trong phương thức sinh kế, dân số, và mang theo bệnh nhiễm trùng mới tiềm ẩn như là bệnh ghẻ cóc vào các cộng đồng nông nghiệp bản địa . Các phát hiện trình bày trên đây hi vọng sẽ là khởi đầu đánh giá lại về sự tồn tại các di cốt Đông Nam Á và minh họa tầm quan trọng của việc sử dụng tiêu chí chẩn đoán tin cậy về các trường hợp bệnh ghẻ cóc cho nghiên cứu tiếp theo.

Evaluation of DNA conservation in Nile-Saharan environment, Missiminia, in Nubia: Tracking maternal lineage of “X-Group”

ObjectiveWe assessed DNA conservation using a range of archaeological skeletal samples from Sudan (Missiminia in Upper Nubia, 350 B.C.E to 1400 C.E) from the unfavorable conditions of the Saharan milieu and humidity of the Nile valley by tracking maternal lineage on the ‘X-Group’ (Ballaneans).MethodWe were able to extract, amplify, and sequence mt-DNA HVS-I (Sanger sequencing method) from 11 petrous bone samples, eight for the X-Group set and three for the reference set (one Christian, one Late Meroitic, and one Meroitic).ResultsIt was possible to find the haplogroups (L1b, L2, L3, H2, N, T1a, X and W) and to carry out comparative data analysis in relation to haplogroup data cited in the literature. This investigation into the maternal lineage of X-Group (350 to 500 C.E.) origins allowed us to validate the efficiency of petrous bone sampling from ancient human remains from the Nile-Saharan milieu and established that the Ballaneans experienced an in-situ development with more admixture from the Levant region and North Africa.ConclusionsOur study used mt-DNA (HVS-I) to look for the biological origins of the X-Group from Upper-Nubia and demonstrated the feasibility of ancient DNA research on skeletons from the Nile-Saharan environment. The use of Next Sequencing Generation (NGS) should optimize and improve the detection of shorter DNA strands and their sequencing in complete genomes from ancient skeletal remains (petrous bones) from hot and humid environments.

DETERMINATION OF INTRAVITAM BODY TYPE IN MEN DRAWING ON THE OSTEOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SKELETONISED CLAVICLES

One of the major challenges faced by a forensic medical expert when performing the examination of bone remains for the purposes of personal identification is the determination of group characteristics, which include the person’s body type. The present study focuses on a new method for determining the intravitam body type when considering skeletonised remains.Aim. To develop diagnostic mathematico-statistical models that allow the intravitam body type in men to be determined, drawing on the osteometric characteristics of skeletonised clavicles.Material and methods. We studied clavicles from the osteological collection held at the Department of Anthropology, Lomonosov Moscow State University (62 adult male skeletons) according to the expanded osteometric program (15 characteristics). The obtained data were processed by StatSoft STATISTICA 10 using multivariate stepwise discriminant analysis (MDA).Results. We have developed diagnostic models allowing the intravitam body type (ectomorph, mesomorph and endomorph) to be determined on the basis of skeletonised clavicles with an accuracy of 62.9–79 %. Using the proposed models, a more accurate determination of ectomorphs and mesomorphs (90 %) than endomorphs (41–58.8 %) is observed. In order to increase the objectiveness of the expert’s conclusion, we used function Pl showing the probability of correct body type classification in every single case. The diagnostic models were successfully verified using the skeletal samples held at the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, with the maximum accuracy level reaching 80 %.