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Laffranchi Z, Zingale S, Tecchiati U, Amato A, Coia V, Paladin A, Salzani L, Thompson SR, Bersani M, Dori I, Szidat S, Lösch S, Ryan-Despraz J, Arenz G, Zink A, Milella M. "Until death do us part". A multidisciplinary study on human- Animal co- burials from the Late Iron Age necropolis of Seminario Vescovile in Verona (Northern Italy, 3rd-1st c. BCE). PLoS One 2024; 19:e0293434. [PMID: 38354185 PMCID: PMC10866530 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal remains are a common find in prehistoric and protohistoric funerary contexts. While taphonomic and osteological data provide insights about the proximate (depositional) factors responsible for these findings, the ultimate cultural causes leading to this observed mortuary behavior are obscured by the opacity of the archaeological record and the lack of written sources. Here, we apply an interdisciplinary suite of analytical approaches (zooarchaeological, anthropological, archaeological, paleogenetic, and isotopic) to explore the funerary deposition of animal remains and the nature of joint human-animal burials at Seminario Vescovile (Verona, Northern Italy 3rd-1st c. BCE). This context, culturally attributed to the Cenomane culture, features 161 inhumations, of which only 16 included animal remains in the form of full skeletons, isolated skeletal parts, or food offerings. Of these, four are of particular interest as they contain either horses (Equus caballus) or dogs (Canis lupus familiaris)-animals that did not play a dietary role. Analyses show no demographic, dietary, funerary similarities, or genetic relatedness between individuals buried with animals. Isotopic data from two analyzed dogs suggest differing management strategies for these animals, possibly linked to economic and/or ritual factors. Overall, our results point to the unsuitability of simple, straightforward explanations for the observed funerary variability. At the same time, they connect the evidence from Seminario Vescovile with documented Transalpine cultural traditions possibly influenced by local and Roman customs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zita Laffranchi
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Umberto Tecchiati
- Dipartimento di Beni Culturali e Ambientali, PrEcLab—Laboratorio di Preistoria, Protostoria ed Ecologia Preistorica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Alfonsina Amato
- Dipartimento di Beni Culturali e Ambientali, PrEcLab—Laboratorio di Preistoria, Protostoria ed Ecologia Preistorica, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Valentina Coia
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Alice Paladin
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Luciano Salzani
- Ex-Soprintendenza per i Beni Archeologici del Veneto, Settore territorio, Sede di Padova-Nucleo di Verona, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Marzia Bersani
- Thompson Simon scavi e rilevamenti archeologici, Verona, Italy
| | - Irene Dori
- Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio per le province di Verona Rovigo e Vicenza, Verona, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Firenze, Italy
| | - Sönke Szidat
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Sandra Lösch
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jessica Ryan-Despraz
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Arenz
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Albert Zink
- Institute for Mummy Studies, Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy
| | - Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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2
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Brzezinski ET, Hubbe M, Hunter RL, Agnew AM. Sex differences in workload in medieval Poland: Patterns of asymmetry and biomechanical adaptation in the upper limb at Giecz. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 183:e24886. [PMID: 38130087 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study characterizes sexual dimorphism in skeletal markers of upper limb mechanical loading due to lateralization as evidence of division of labor in medieval Giecz, Poland. METHODS Twenty-six dimensions for paired humeri, clavicles, and radii representing adult males (n = 89) and females (n = 53) were collected from a skeletal sample from the cemetery site Gz4. Percent directional asymmetry (DA) and absolute asymmetry (AA) for each dimension were compared among bones, osteometric subcategories, and sex. Additionally, side bias and sex differences were assessed in degenerative joint disease (DJD) and entheseal changes (ECs). RESULTS Nearly all measurements revealed significant asymmetry favoring the right side. Asymmetry was most pronounced in midshaft dimensions with few sex differences. There were more correlations among dimensions within elements than between elements, mainly in the midshaft. No laterality in DJD frequencies was noted for either sex, but females demonstrated significantly lower odds of having DJD than males in most joints. Most ECs demonstrated a right-bias and association with DA with no sex-specific patterns except the biceps brachii insertion, where females were ~5 times more likely to be scored "right" than males. DISCUSSION The general lack of sex differences in asymmetry and ECs suggests similarly demanding workloads for females and males, with the exception of sex-specific functional loading differences in the forearm. Further, DJD data suggest males engaged in more intensive activities involving the upper limb. These results enhance understanding of workload in this important historical period and provide a comparison for asymmetry in past populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma T Brzezinski
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Skeletal Biology Research Lab, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Mark Hubbe
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Randee L Hunter
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Skeletal Biology Research Lab, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Amanda M Agnew
- Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Skeletal Biology Research Lab, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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3
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Tanner SB, Bardo A, Davies TW, Dunmore CJ, Johnston RE, Owen NJ, Kivell TL, Skinner MM. Variation and covariation of external shape and cross-sectional geometry in the human metacarpus. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 183:e24866. [PMID: 37929663 PMCID: PMC10952563 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Analyses of external bone shape using geometric morphometrics (GM) and cross-sectional geometry (CSG) are frequently employed to investigate bone structural variation and reconstruct activity in the past. However, the association between these methods has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we analyze whole bone shape and CSG variation of metacarpals 1-5 and test covariation between them. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed external metacarpal shape using GM and CSG of the diaphysis at three locations in metacarpals 1-5. The study sample includes three modern human groups: crew from the shipwrecked Mary Rose (n = 35 metacarpals), a Pre-industrial group (n = 50), and a Post-industrial group (n = 31). We tested group differences in metacarpal shape and CSG, as well as correlations between these two aspects of metacarpal bone structure. RESULTS GM analysis demonstrated metacarpus external shape variation is predominately related to changes in diaphyseal width and articular surface size. Differences in external shape were found between the non-pollical metacarpals of the Mary Rose and Pre-industrial groups and between the third metacarpals of the Pre- and Post-industrial groups. CSG results suggest the Mary Rose and Post-industrial groups have stronger metacarpals than the Pre-industrial group. Correlating CSG and external shape showed significant relationships between increasing external robusticity and biomechanical strength across non-pollical metacarpals (r: 0.815-0.535; p ≤ 0.05). DISCUSSION Differences in metacarpal cortical structure and external shape between human groups suggest differences in the type and frequency of manual activities. Combining these results with studies of entheses and kinematics of the hand will improve reconstructions of manual behavior in the past.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel B. Tanner
- School of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
| | - Ameline Bardo
- School of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
- UMR 7194 ‐ Histoire Naturelle de l'Homme Préhistorique (HNHP)CNRS‐Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
| | - Thomas W. Davies
- School of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
- Department of Human OriginsMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | | | - Richard E. Johnston
- Advanced Imaging of Materials (AIM) Facility, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Bay CampusSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
| | - Nicholas J. Owen
- Applied Sports Technology Exercise and Medicine Research Centre (A‐STEM), School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Bay CampusSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
| | - Tracy L. Kivell
- School of Anthropology and ConservationUniversity of KentCanterburyUK
- Department of Human OriginsMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
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4
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Piccirilli E, Sorrentino R, Lugli F, Bortolini E, Silvestrini S, Cavazzuti C, Conti S, Czifra S, Gyenesei K, Köhler K, Tankó K, Vazzana A, Jerem E, Cipriani A, Gottarelli A, Belcastro MG, Hajdu T, Benazzi S. New insights on Celtic migration in Hungary and Italy through the analysis of non-metric dental traits. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293090. [PMID: 37851635 PMCID: PMC10584115 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The Iron Age is characterized by an extended interweaving of movements by Celts in Europe. Several waves of Celts from Western and Central Europe migrated southeast and west from the core area of the La Téne culture (between Bourgogne and Bohemia). Through the analysis of non-metric dental traits, this work aims to understand the biological relationship among Celtic groups arrived in Italy and the Carpathian Basin, as well as between local populations and Celtic newcomers. A total of 10 non-metric dental traits were analyzed to evaluate biological affinities among Celts (Sopron-Krautacker and Pilismarót-Basaharc) and Scythians-related populations from Hungary (Tápiószele), Celts from continental Europe (Switzerland and Austria), two Iron Age Etruscan-Celtic sites from northern Italy (Monterenzio Vecchio and Monte Bibele), 13 Iron Age central-southern Italic necropolises, and the northern Italian Bronze Age necropolis of Scalvinetto. Strontium isotopes were measured on individuals from the necropolis of Monte Bibele to infer their local or non-local origin. Results highlight the existence of statistically significant differences between Celts and autochthonous Italian groups. Celtic groups from Hungary and Italy (i.e., non-local individuals of Monterenzio Vecchio and Monte Bibele) share a similar biological background, supporting the historical records mentioning a common origin for Celts migrated to the eastern and southern borders of today's Europe. The presence of a supposed Steppean ancestry both in Celts from Hungary and Celts from northern Italy corroborates the hypothesis of the existence of a westward migration of individuals and genes from the Steppe towards northern Italy during the Bronze and Iron Age, which contributed to the biological variability of pre-Celtic and later Celtic populations, respectively. Conversely, individuals from central-southern Italy show an autochthonous pre-Iron Age background. Lastly, this work supports the existence of Celtic migratory routes in northern Italy, as shown by biological and cultural admixture between Celts and Italics living together.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Piccirilli
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Rita Sorrentino
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences–BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico Lugli
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
- Department of Chemical and Geological Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Eugenio Bortolini
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, IMF-CSIC (Spanish National Research Centre), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Silvestrini
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Claudio Cavazzuti
- Department of History and Cultures, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Sara Conti
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Szabolcs Czifra
- National Institute of Archaeology, Hungarian National Museum, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Katalin Gyenesei
- Department of Biological Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kitti Köhler
- Hungarian Natural History Museum, Department of Anthropology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Károly Tankó
- ELKH–ELTE Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research Group, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Antonino Vazzana
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Erzsébet Jerem
- Hungarian Natural History Museum, Department of Anthropology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anna Cipriani
- Department of Chemical and Geological Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, United States of America
| | - Antonio Gottarelli
- Department of History and Cultures, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Giovanna Belcastro
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences–BiGeA, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Tamás Hajdu
- Department of Biological Anthropology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Stefano Benazzi
- Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Bologna, Ravenna, Italy
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Sikdar A, Mushrif-Tripathy V. A comparative study of robusticity indices of long bones among hunter-gatherers and early agro-pastoral groups of India. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 182:93-108. [PMID: 37283202 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Diaphyseal robusticity and cross-sectional shapes of the bone tissues are influenced by mechanical loading history. It changes according to work demand on the body. It is the objective of this study to identify the shifts in the modes of subsistence, activities and mobility patterns through the comparison of the shape and strength of bone diaphyses among the Mesolithic, Chalcolithic and Harappan populations of India. MATERIALS AND METHODS For the analysis, 7 sites including 2 from Mesolithic (8000-4000 bc), 2 from Chalcolithic (2000-700 bc) and 3 from Harappan (3500-1800 bc) contexts are considered. The ratio obtained from the maximum length of the bones to their girth (at 50% or 35% from the distal end) and that from anterior-posterior and medio-lateral diameters were calculated (following Martin and Saller codes, 1957) to understand certain functional adaptations and stress markers on preserved long bones. Independent-sample T-tests and ANOVA were applied to detect mean differences of statistical significance within and between cultures. RESULTS The robusticity indices obtained from the humeri increase from the hunting-gathering phase (M/F; 19.39/18.45) to the Chalcolithic phase (M/F; 21.99/19.39) showing a slight drop in the Harappan phase (M/F; 18.58/18.37). The right humeri of Mesolithic females show a directional asymmetry of length (4.08%-5.13%) while that in males reach up to 26.09% indicating right-dominant lateralization. In the Harappan phase, females show a greater value for the right ranging from 0.31% to 3.07%. The femoral robusticity of females increases from 11.42 in hunting-gathering societies to 13.28 in Harappan times while mid-shaft of the Mesolithic population clearly shows greater loading along the anterior-posterior (A-P) plane as the index in most cases exceeds 100. There are significant differences among males and females within each group in terms of the indices but significant differences could be discerned between the Mesolithic, Chalcolithic and Harappan populations in case of tibiae, radii and ulnae only. CONCLUSION The occupation patterns certainly changed as humans became a food-producer from a hunter-gatherer. Occupations involving the extensive flexion and extension of upper limbs in the Chalcolithic period increase particularly in the Harappan phase. Sedentism gave rise to roundness of the femur and reduced the magnitude of lateralization. While equal level of mobility can be traced in case of both the sexes before the advent of agriculture, this distinction increases between the males and females in the agro-pastoral phases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmita Sikdar
- Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, India
| | - Veena Mushrif-Tripathy
- Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Deccan College Post Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, India
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6
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Laffranchi Z, Granados‐Torres A, Lösch S, Zink A, Dori I, Delgado‐Huertas A, Milella M. “Celts” up and down the Alps. Insights on mobility patterns in the
pre‐Roman
/Celtic population from Verona (
NE
Italy, 3rd–1st c.
BCE
): A multi‐isotopic approach. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022. [PMCID: PMC9544713 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Objectives The Late Iron Age in continental Europe featured complex demographic processes including, among others, the establishment of transalpine “Celtic” communities on the Italian peninsula between the 4th and 1st centuries BCE. To date, only few data are available about mobility and migration in these populations. Here we explore these topics among the Cenomani of Seminario Vescovile (SV‐Verona, Italy, 3rd–1st c. BCE) through a multi‐isotopic approach and test the possible associations with sex, age and funerary treatment. Materials and methods We analyzed isotopic ratios of oxygen (δ18O) and carbon (δ13C) from bone phosphate and collagen, respectively, of 49 individuals (23 males, 17 females, and 9 nonadults). In addition, we explored possible intraindividual lifetime changes by comparing collagen δ13C from bone and dentine of 26 individuals. We assessed nonlocality based on individual deviation of isotopic values from the population mean plus three times the median absolute deviation from the median (±3MAD). We then checked for isotopic differences between sexes and type of funerary treatment using Mann–Whitney tests. Results One individual shows isotopic values consistent with a nonlocal origin. Five more individuals may have originated from a different locality. No statistical differences separate sexes and types of funerary treatment. Discussion Results suggest a local origin of most of the individuals of SV with the few exceptions pointing especially to an Alpine origin. The low frequency of nonlocals at SV suggest a reduced mobility in this population, or the preeminence of short distance movements undetected by our analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zita Laffranchi
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Arsenio Granados‐Torres
- Stable Isotopes Biogeochemistry Laboratory Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences, (IACT‐CSIC‐UGR) Granada Spain
| | - Sandra Lösch
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine University of Bern Bern Switzerland
| | - Albert Zink
- Institute for Mummy Studies Eurac Research Bolzano Italy
| | - Irene Dori
- Soprintendenza Archeologia Belle Arti e Paesaggio per le province di Verona Verona Italy
| | - Antonio Delgado‐Huertas
- Stable Isotopes Biogeochemistry Laboratory Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences, (IACT‐CSIC‐UGR) Granada Spain
| | - Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine University of Bern Bern Switzerland
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7
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Abarca-Labra V, Herrera-Soto MJ, Flores-Alvarado S, Ulloa-Velásquez C, Urrutia-Álvarez C, Falabella-Gellona F, Sanhueza-Riquelme L. Exploring physical activity in Central Chile during the Early Ceramic Period and Late Intermediate Period (200-1450 CE). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022; 177:658-668. [PMID: 36787759 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We explore physical activity in early farming societies of Central Chile during the Early Ceramic and Late Intermediate Periods (200-1450 CE), a time of technological changes and intensification of food production. The existence of differences in entheseal changes (EC) between females and males is evaluated in two periods with different subsistence strategies. MATERIAL AND METHODS EC were recorded with method in the upper and lower limbs of 56 male and female adult individuals from the Early Ceramic Period (ECP) and Late Intermediate Period (LIP). Hierarchical multiple factor analysis and hierarchical clustering on principal components were performed using an exploratory approach. RESULTS In all the analyzed limbs, the EC scores are higher in males than females, which may be explained by sexual dimorphism. A constant overlap in the variability of the EC among males and females is observed. However, the EC scores show a different pattern of variability when comparing ECP females with LIP females. The results show that the scores increase in the latter. In contrast, when comparing ECP males with LIP males scores decrease in the later period. DISCUSSION Physical activity in the societies of Central Chile with incipient agriculture did not vary by sex or during the timeframe studied. Nevertheless, the interaction between sex-period and the variability pattern of the EC from one period to another suggests different ways of doing similar physical activities or different emphases for similar biomechanical actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Abarca-Labra
- Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Departamento de Antropología, Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Santiago, Chile.,Fundación Mátrida, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - María-José Herrera-Soto
- Fundación Mátrida, Valparaíso, Chile.,Programa Doctorado en Arqueología, FFyL, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sandra Flores-Alvarado
- Departamento de Bioestadística, Instituto de Salud Poblacional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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8
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Agarwal SC. What is normal bone health? A bioarchaeological perspective on meaningful measures and interpretations of bone strength, loss, and aging. Am J Hum Biol 2021; 33:e23647. [PMID: 34272787 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioarchaeological (the study of archeological human remains together with contextual and documentary evidence) offers a unique vantage point to examine variation in skeletal morphology related to influences such as activity, disease, and nutrition. The human skeleton is composed of a dynamic tissue that is forged by biocultural factors over the entire life course, providing a record of individual, and community history. Various aspects of adult bone health, particularly bone maintenance and loss and the associated skeletal disease osteoporosis, have been examined in numerous past populations. The anthropological study of bone loss has traditionally focused on the signature of postmenopausal aging, costs of reproduction, and fragility in females. The a priori expectation of normative sex-related bone loss/fragility in bioanthropological studies illustrates the wider gender-ideological bias that continues in research design and data analysis in the field. Contextualized data on bone maintenance and aging in the archeological record show that patterns of bone loss do not constitute predictable consequences of aging or biological sex. Instead, the critical examination of bioarchaeological data highlights the complex and changing processes that craft the human body over the life course, and calls for us to question the ideal or "normal" range of bone quantity and quality in the human skeleton, and to critically reflect on what measures are actually biologically and/or socially meaningful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina C Agarwal
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
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9
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Jiménez-Brobeil SA, Charisi D, Laffranchi Z, Maroto Benavides RM, Delgado Huertas A, Milella M. Sex differences in diet and life conditions in a rural Medieval Islamic population from Spain (La Torrecilla, Granada): An isotopic and osteological approach to gender differentiation in al-Andalus. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 175:794-815. [PMID: 33772756 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Gender differentiation can influence the diet, physical activity, and health of human populations. Multifaceted approaches are therefore necessary when exploring the biological consequences of gender-related social norms in the past. Here, we explore the links between diet, physiological stress, physical activity, and gender differentiation in the Medieval Islamic population of La Torrecilla (Granada, Spain, 13th-15th century AD), by analyzing stable isotope patterns, stature, and long bone diaphyseal measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sample includes 96 individuals (48 females, 48 males) classified as young and middle adults (20-34 and 35-50 years of age respectively). Diet was reconstructed through the analysis of δ13 C and δ15 N. Stature, humeral and femoral diaphyseal shape and product of diaphyseal diameters served as proxies of physiological stress and physical activity. RESULTS Isotopic ratios suggest a substantial dietary contribution of C4 plants (e.g., sorghum, millet), a variable access to animal proteins, and no differences between the sexes. Sexual dimorphism in stature derives from a markedly low female stature. Long bone diaphyseal properties suggest that men performed various physically stressful activities, whereas women were involved in less physically demanding activities (possibly related to household work). DISCUSSION Gender differentiation in La Torrecilla was expressed by a possibly differential parental investment in male versus female offspring and by culturally sanctioned gender differences in the performance of physical tasks. Diet was qualitatively homogenous between the sexes, although we cannot rule out quantitative differences. Our results shed new light on the effects of gender-related social norms on human development and lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvia A Jiménez-Brobeil
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Drosia Charisi
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Zita Laffranchi
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.,Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rosa M Maroto Benavides
- Department of Legal Medicine, Toxicology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio Delgado Huertas
- Biogeochemistry of Stable Isotopes Laboratory, Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences, (IACT-CSIC-UGR), Granada, Spain
| | - Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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10
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Milella M, Franklin D, Belcastro MG, Cardini A. Sexual differences in human cranial morphology: Is one sex more variable or one region more dimorphic? Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 304:2789-2810. [PMID: 33773067 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The quantification of cranial sexual dimorphism (CSD) among modern humans is relevant in evolutionary studies of morphological variation and in a forensic context. Despite the abundance of quantitative studies of CSD, few have specifically examined intra-sex variability. Here we quantify CSD in a geographically homogeneous sample of adult crania, which includes Italian individuals from the 19th and 20th centuries. Cranial morphology is described with 92 3D landmarks analyzed using Procrustean geometric morphometrics (PGMM). Size and shape variables are used to compare morphological variance between sexes in the whole cranium and four individual regions. The same variables, plus Procrustes form, are used to quantify average sex differences and explore classification accuracy. Our results indicate that: (a) as predicted by Wainer's rule, males present overall more variance in size and shape, albeit this is statistically significant only for total cranial size; (b) differences between sexes are dominated by size and to a lesser extent by Procrustes form; (c) shape only accounts for a minor proportion of variance; (d) the cranial base shows almost no dimorphism for shape; and (e) facial Procrustes form is the most accurate predictor of skeletal sex. Overall, this study suggests developmental factors underlying differences in CSD among cranial regions; stresses the need for population-specific models that describe craniofacial variation as the basis for models that facilitate the estimation of sex in unidentified skeletal remains; and provides one of the first confirmations of "Wainer's rule" in relation to sexual dimorphism in mammals specific to the human cranium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Milella
- Department of Physical Anthropology, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Franklin
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Maria Giovanna Belcastro
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Cardini
- Centre for Forensic Anthropology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.,Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche e Geologiche, Università di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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