Northern Saudi Arabia is regarded as one of the primary regions for prehistoric archaeological sites in the Arabian Peninsula. Extensive archaeological surveys and excavations conducted over a long history of research have revealed varying chronologies for Palaeolithic and Neolithic sites. These sites are found mainly in the Nefud Desert and volcanic landscapes, and they exhibit diverse lithic technologies, including resemblances to Acheulean, Levallois, and Neolithic productions known in central and northern Arabia. Some of these sites also display technological elements similar to those found in the Levant and Africa. Although large-scale surveys and excavations of prehistoric sites have been conducted in northern Saudi Arabia, many areas still lack extensive survey coverage and comprehensive comparative studies. This research presents a newly discovered open-air prehistoric site, identified in Trubah, northern Saudi Arabia. The site's location and surface artefact distribution reveal substantial evidence of prehistoric occupation, including Acheulean and Middle Palaeolithic horizons. Lithic classifications and measurements indicate a predominance of Acheulean and Levallois stone tool production. The data recovered from the site offer a new perspective on long-term Palaeolithic habitation by different cultural groups.
In the early 1950s, the bones of AMH ZlatP kiln 1 were discovered alongside a small collection of artefacts deep within the Koneprusy Caves system. Modern genetic research and dating techniques have placed this individual at the beginning of the modern human penetration of Europe, around 45,000 years ago. The small artefact assemblage consisted of six pieces of chipped stone industry, seven bones bearing traces of human impacts, and foreign seashell, which originated from either the Tertiary sediments of the Alpine Foredeep or the Mediterranean Sea. While the assemblage is not significant, it does not contain typical features of the younger, more evolved Aurignacian; rather, general analogies can be found in the Lincomb-Ranis-Jerzmanowice complex, which is documented at the closely related Ranis site.
The anthropological study of archaeological skeletal remains is a fundamental approach to defining the state of health and well-being of ancient populations. In this perspective, this work illustrates the first results of the study of a sample attributed to an indigenous Sicanian population from the necropolis ofBaucina (Palermo, Sicily), a settlement dated between 7th-5th centuries BCE. The remains were found inside a large artificial cave tomb which is distinguished by its monumentality and number of occupants, which amounts to fifty-nine individuals, a significant number for a population of this period. Consequently, it was decided to proceed with the study of the sample, applying anthropological methodologies for the definition of demography, paleopathological aspects, entheseal changes and non-metric traits. The results obtained provide important data concerning individual pathologies and variants of the skeletal morphology, both in adults and non-adults: for instance, individuals show osteomas, porous skeletal lesions, musculoskeletal stress markers. This study represents one of the first concerning the bio-anthropology sphere of Sicanian communities, reporting new insights regarding the lifestyle and health status in Baucina.
To investigate the connection between body measurements and the development of motor coordination in preschool-aged children, 77 children (54 boys, 23 girls) with an average age of 5.71 +/- 0.54 years were measured and tested. The study involved 9 tests to assess body measurements, which were used as predictive variables. Additionally, four tests from the KTK battery were used to evaluate motor skills and coordination. The data was analysed using descriptive and regression analyses. The average values of coordination (KTK) significantly positively correlated with anthropometric variable of body height (BH, r = a 259, p = 0.013), and significantly negatively correlated with variables of abdominal skin fold (ASF, r =-0209, p = 0.037), dorsal skinfold (DSF, r =-0.282, p = 0.007) and uper arm skin fold (UASF, r =-0.244, p = a 018). The results of the regression analysis (backward method) showed that the model that best explains the variability of the dependent variable was defined by folloving variables: forearm circumferences (FCIRC), dorsal skinfold (DSF) and upper arm skin fold (UASF) with 23.4% of explained variance. Additionally, the results suggest that children between the ages of 5 and 7 who possess greater forearm circumferences, lower dorsal skinfold, and upper arm skinfold have better coordination abilities.
Joint diseases are traditionally categorized into conditions characterized by either bone production or bone loss. Osteoarthritis (OA), or degenerative joint disease (DJD), is the primary condition under the former category, affecting synovial joints through the degeneration of articular hyaline cartilage and subsequent pathological changes in cartilage and subchondral bone. This study explores a case of probable osteoarthritis of a right elbow, secondary to trauma, from an individual from the hypogeal cemetery of Santa Maria Maggiore in Vercelli, dated to the late 18(th) to early 19(th) century. The subject, identified as Ind#3, was a male aged 50-60 years, whose remains were found in secondary deposition in an ossuary chest. Macroscopic and radiological evaluations revealed significant pathological alterations in the right elbow joint, including extensive eburnation, osteophyte formation and joint morphology changes. The study suggests that the observed DJD resulted from a significant trauma several years before death, leading to extensive bone remodeling due to continued joint use. This case contributes to the understanding of post-traumatic osteoarthritis in archaeological contexts, highlight the complexity of diagnosing OA in this context and the lack of such cases and descriptions in literature.
Skeleton 1-1 was found in the cemetery ofAzatan, Shirak Province (Armenia). The individual was probably a female over 30 years old with an ossified mass in the right maxillary sinus measuring 10 x 12.8 x 10.8 mm. The radiograph showed a well-demarcated radiolucent unilocular mass with some radiopaque areas without communication with the molar alveoli. Neither the macroscopic nor the radiological features are compatible with an inflammatory or malignant pathology, which favours the diagnosis of an ossifying fibroma. This article aims to provide a differential diagnosis of a large mass found in the right maxillary sinus of a Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age skull fragment and to extend the knowledge of diagnosing bone formation in bioarchaeological studies.
This study explores the osteobiography of an individual with reduced stature excavated from grave No. 314 in the medieval cemetery of Kutnd Hora-Sedlec. Analyzing the archaeological context and skeletal remains, we investigate growth disorders and their implications for health and daily living, considering the bioarchaeology of care approach. The individual exhibited a stature of 140.4 +/- 4.15 cm, displaying pathologies such as healed fractures, dental caries, and linear enamel hypoplasia, which suggest compromised health and potential malnutrition during growth. Differential diagnoses considered include growth hormone deficiency, hypothyroidism, and genetic syndromes like Turner syndrome. The findings indicate that while the individual may not have required intensive care, her health issues likely impacted her work capability and quality of life within a mining community. The burial practices reflect an absence of social stigma surrounding her condition, further complicating the interpretation of care in historical contexts. This case underscores the necessity of considering subtle skeletal changes in bioarchaeological research, enriching our understanding of past human health, disability, and social dynamics.
This study presents the archaeological examination of skeletal remains from the Neolithic funerary site of Cala Colombo in Torre a Mare, Bari (Apulia, Southern Italy), with a focus on a peculiar case of vertebral block possibly related to Klippel-Feil Syndrome (KFS). The site, first explored in 1973, revealed multiple burials within two rounded spaces, dating from 3100 BC to 2700 BC (Final Neolithic). A significant discovery among the skeletal remains, from a stratigraphic survey showing seven soil layers, was the identification of two fused cervical vertebrae (C4 -05) in one individual, suggesting the presence ofKFS, a rare congenital disorder characterized by the congenital fusion of two or more cervical vertebrae during the gestation period. The methodology included conventional X-rays, CT scans, and histological analysis to distinguish between congenital fusion and fusion resulting from other diseases. The findings confirmed the congenital nature of the fusion, with no evidence of trauma, tuberculosis, rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis, or other differential diagnoses typically associated with vertebral fusion. This case contributes to the scarce archaeological record of KFS, particularly from the Neolithic period in Europe, with prior documented cases in Greece and Portugal. This analysis also introduces histology as a tool in palaeopathology, providing deeper insight into the embryological defects leading to vertebral segmentation failure. The present Apulian case could represent, to the best of our knowledge, the earliest documented instance ofKFS in Italy, expanding our understanding of the genetic and phenotypic expression of this condition in ancient populations.
Holocene archaeological sites in the Sudan occur in many regions and span the period from the end of the Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age. They present diverse cultures, including pre-ceramic, pastoral, agro-pastoral, and farmer occupations. These diversities in chronology and context encouraged the development ofmultiple terminologies, some of which further complicated our understanding of Late prehistoric archaeology in the Sudan. One of the rich areas for Holocene archaeology that has yet to be discussed is the Eastern Desert of the lower Atbara River (EDAR). This paper presents the major characteristics of Holocene archaeology in the EDAR using the findings from archaeological surveys and excavations conducted from 2016-2022. The data were collected from riverine sites and the desert about 60-80 km east of the Atbara River. The sites' settings, artifact characteristics, and C14 dating offer interesting pictures of agro-pastoral landscapes. The major characteristics of the finds are more homogenous with Holocene antiquities in eastern Sudan and differ slightly from the Holocene context in central Sudan.
Research indicates that even short duration spaceflight may cause deficits to psychological health. Crewed members of spaceflights are also vulnerable to various neurobehavioral problems, which may reduce psychological health, work efficiency and group cohesiveness. Mindfulness meditation as a psychological countermeasure for long-term space missions has received increasing attention. Mindfulness techniques have been shown to provide various cognitive and affective benefits in clinical settings, these have yet to be employed as a feasible psychological countermeasure for space crews. Therefore, this paper will propose that the use of mindfulness-based intervention may offer a feasible adjunct countermeasure for several psychological and performance risks for astronauts during long-term space missions.
Bone mineral density (BMD) is a parameter that characterizes the strength and resistance of bone tissue to fractures. It is influenced by many endogenous and exogenous factors, including lifestyle. Our work focused on determining the prevalence of decreasedBMD in the Slovak population aged 18-31 years (22.40 +/- 0.12) and analyzing the correlations between selected lifestyle factors and bone density parameters. The cohort consisted of 256 women (mean age 22.18 +/- 0.16) and 153 men (mean age 22.76 +/- 0.20). Statistical analysis of the data showed a relatively high number of participants in the group with low BMD values (82.42% of women with Z-score values in the norm and 17.58% with low values, men 73.20% in the norm and 26.80% with low values). An association was found between vitamin D use in bone (p = 0.023; r = 0.113). We confirmed the association between vitamin D intake and SOS, T and Z scores in women (p [SOS] = 0.026;p [T1 = 0.022;p [Z1 = 0.034). Higher values were found in participants who took vitamin D supplements. An increase in bone mineral content was observed with increasing frequency of milk and dairy product consumption (p = 0.050; r = 0.098). Our study shows that taking vitamin D and consuming milk and dairy products is a good way to maximize the increase in bone mass during the BMD formation phase and slow down the decrease in bone density.
Background: Loth and Henneberg studied the flexure of the mandible in a subjective grading system later modified by actual measurements by Lin. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of mandibular flexure angles in sex estimation in panoramic radiographs of the South Indian population. Material and methods: The study involved the collection of 170 digital panoramic radiographs from males and 170 from females aged fifteen to twenty-five years. The canonical variate scores, centroids, and discriminant function equations were analyzed. Results: The analysis revealed significant differences in the left and right antegonion angles between males and females (p=0.001 for both). Females exhibited higher mean angles for both left (170.88 degrees) and right (171.48 degrees), respectively, compared to males (166.95 degrees and 168.01 degrees, respectively). Conclusion: The analysis also revealed that the mandibular flexures can be used efficiently to test muscle activity in forensic and anthropological settings.
In this case report the still unexplained death of the Mediaeval Emperor Frederick Barbarossa is examined from a biomedical perspective using original historical sources and contemporary medical knowledge. Barbarossa's case also serves as an example and a wake-up call for public health authorities on the danger represented by the public health problem of drowning, with particular reference to drowning in rivers and whirlpool-caused deaths.
The purpose of this study is to underline the importance of Concha Bullosa (CB), a pathological condition frequently missed in the analysis of human remains in archeological studies. We studied three cases from the Ancient Egyptian necropolis of Dra Abu-el Naga, located on Luxor's (Ancient Thebes) West Bank of the Nile. The sample object of this study belongs to different chronologies, but all were over 2,000 years old. The analysis included both macroscopic and radiological examinations of three skulls, all of adult males, showing different degrees of involvement of the middle turbinate. One presented with extensive bilateral CB without deviation of the nasal septum. The others showed unilaterally without affecting and deviating the nasal septum. The maxillary sinuses were not affected. The embalming technique varied throughout Ancient Egyptian history, with brain extraction first practiced among elites and then spreading across all social classes. This removal of the brain, if carried out through the nose, involved the destruction of the nasal bones. That may be the reason for the paucity of the described cases in the high number of individuals examined, added to the lack offamiliarity of the investigators with this entity. These three new cases add to the body of existing evidence on CB and stresses the importance of not missing its identification during paleopathological studies.
The research was conducted on 3644 students (1891 male respondents and 1753 female respondents). The goal of the research was to determine the degree and differences in the degree of nutrition and body composition between boys and girls from the 2(nd) to the 9(th) grade of elementary school. Based on the obtained results, a t-test for small independent samples, it was determined that there are no statistically significant dijferences between the male and female respondents in the level of nutrition and the skin fold on the stomach (suprailiac), and for basal metabolism, percentage of body fat, skin fold upper arms (triceps), skinfold on the back (subscapular), the differences are statistically significant. It was determined that out of a total of 1891 (52.00%) male respondents, 180 (9.52%) of them fall into the category of obese, 46 (2.43) boys into the category of excessive nutrition, 804 (42.52%) boys are normally well-nourished, while 861 (45.53 %) of boys malnourished. Out of a total of 1753 (48%) girls, 161 (9.18%) are obese, 38 (2.17%) are undernourished, 717 (40.90%) are normally well-nourished, while 837 (4Z 75%) are malnourished. Based on the body mass of students from the 2(nd) to the 9(th) grade of elementary school, recommendations for daily water intake (liters) are given. The recommendation for the average daily intake of water in liters for all boys is 1.45 and for girls 1.42. The obtained data indicate a problem today caused by bad lifestyle habits. Today's big problem is not only obesity among children but also malnutrition, which was most common among students measurements of elementary school-aged students to make changes and proper growth and development. It is necessary to motivate students more to play sports and change the quality and way of their lives. What we miss in childhood is hard to make up for later.
The skeleton in question derives from the Late Iron Age monument of Nor Armavir and was unearthed from burial No. 19. The deceased was buried in an unusual position. In this article, we characterise the pathological bony changes indicative of tuberculous spondylitis. The skeleton was subject to a detailed macroscopic investigation. Besides age at death estimation and sex determination, a careful palaeopathological evaluation was performed on the bone remains. In addition, volumetric (3D) computed tomography was carried out on four lumbar vertebrae (L2-5) to complement the macromorphology-based diagnosis.
The presented work is focused on the palaeopathological analysis of the skeletal remains of 22 individuals (11 adults, two adolescents, nine children) from Modrice (Brno-Country District, Czech Republic) dated to the period of the FunnelBeaker Culture (4000-3700 BC). It represents a group of settled farmers. Compared to similarly dated groups, the Modrice skeletons had a very high rate of tooth decay. Of the congenital malformations, skeletal (scaphocephaly) and spinal (vertebral synostosis, spondylolysis) disabilities were found here. Most of the inflammatory changes on the bones were observed in connection with dental diseases; two cases of otitis media and inflammatory foci on the cranial vault of one of the females were also recorded. Manifestations of chronic inflammation of unknown aetiology were noted in two individuals on the long bones of the limbs. Although the presented research was limited by the small number of examined skeletons, it presents new information about the health status of the studied population group and enriches the existing knowledge about this important Eneolithic population.
Observing global development, it can be stated that boys and girls are much less physically active than before, which negatively affects the development of motor skills and overall anthropological status. The research was conducted on a sample of a total ofN=450 IV students. grade ofprimary school, of which there were N=238 (53%) male respondents and N=212 (47%) female respondents. The research aimed to determine the differences in motor abilities between boys and girls in the 4th grade of elementary school with the help of the Eurofit battery of tests, namely: Balance (Flamingo), Speed of movement (Tapping with the hand), Flexibility (Grey reach), Explosive leg strength (Jump in standing distance), Static Strength (Hand Strength), Trunk Strength (Supine-Gray), Functional Strength (Squat Endurance) and Running Speed and Agility (Run 10x5m back and forth). The grades were based on the norms of the Eurofit battery of tests for students of IV primary school grades by gender. Among the statistical methods, the following tests were applied: descriptive statistics and t-test. The statistical processing of the data in this research was done using the computer software SPSS Statistics 20.0 in the operating system Windows 10. By analyzing the results of the t-test, it was determined that there are statistically significant differences in the following tests: Reaching in the gray (Flexibility) and Lying in the gray (Trunk Strength) in favor of boys, and Standing Long Jump (Explosive leg strength) in favor of girls at the level of less than 1% (p<0.01). In the tests Flamingo (Balance), Hand Taping (Movement Speed), and Bending Endurance (Functional Strength) the results were in favor of boys, and Hand Strength (Static Strength) and Running 10x5m back and forth (Running Speed and Agility) were in favor of girls and these differences were not statistically significant Based on the results obtained according to the norms for students IV grade of primary school, we can conclude that there were a lot of bad grades among IV students. grade of elementary school. The results of motor skills were influenced by the way of spending free time, Body Mass Index (BMI), and playing a certain sport. The data obtained indicate a major problem today, which is caused by a sedentary lifestyle and bad lifestyle habits. Today, students are increasingly exposed to negative environmental influences. Television, computers, tablets, cellphones, and games lead to them spending too much time indoors, sitting. That is why parents, as well as school and society, have the greatest influence on the formation of personality and the adoption of eating habits. Students in elementary school buy food independently, and choose what tastes best to them, even though it may not be healthy. It is necessary to act preventively on time and conduct more frequent tests and measurements of elementary school-age students to change and properly grow and develop. Motivate students more to get involved in sports actively or recreationally. Correct habits that are adopted in childhood, in most cases, remain in other developmental stages. What we miss in childhood is hard to make up for later.
This note presents a novel approach to facial approximation adopting forensic methodologies, that is the process of recreating an individual's facial traits from their osteological remains by combing anatomo-anthropological techniques with artistic rendering. In this article, a facial approximation of the famous mummy known as the "Gilded Lady" is offered based on previously published video material and CT scan data. The process is explained in its main steps. This new facial approximation contributes to the ongoing technical development of the digital applications to the field of bioarchaeology.
Menopause represents an important transition in female life history. There is considerable variation in the timing of menopause (or age at menopause). Both the genetic factors and environmental exposures (both intra and extra uterine environments) are thought to contribute to an early or later initiation of it. Measurement of "Digit Ratio" (2D:4D) could be used as a non-invasive biomarker of age at menopause as prenatal sex hormones controls the differentiation of digits. As the numbers of postmenopausal women are increasing day by day both globally and nationally therefore researches should focus on this age group of women. Since the vulnerability of getting multiple illnesses is higher among them but very few studies are there on the association of 2D:4D ratio and age at natural menopause and perhaps not undertaken from India. In this backdrop the present attempt is to understand the association of digit ratio (2D:4D) with age at natural menopause form Eastern India (Bengalee Hindu Population). The present study conducted on 187 apparently healthy ever married natural post-menopausal women without nullipara. Structured schedule was used to take socio demographic and reproductive data. Digit ratios has been measured using standard technique. No Bilateral Asymmetry for 2D:4D ratio was found. Significant (p < 0.05) difference between low and high digit ratio (2D:4D) with age at menopause was found, indicating significant (p < 0.05) association with early age at menopause (<= 50"1 1 percentile) and low digit ratio (2D:4D). Hence the present study envisaged, the possibility to use of the digit ratio (2D:4D) as an economizing biomarker to predict/assess age at menopause to ameliorate the health consequences.
