Paleopathology of a Medieval Islamic Sample from Carnide (Lisbon, Portugal)

Francisco CURATE1,2,3; André PEREIRA4; João CANINAS4; Mário MONTEIRO4

1Research Centre for Anthropology and Health, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra (Portugal)

2Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra (Portugal)

3Interdisciplinary Center for Archaeology and Evolution of Human Behavior, University of Algarve, Faro (Portugal)

4Emerita Arqueologia – Lisboa (Portugal)

Acknowledgments Research financed by national funds through the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia: SFRH/BPD/74015/2010 and PEst-OE/SADG/UI0283/2013.

1. Introduction During an archaeological monitoring at a construction site

designated Palácio Sant’Anna in the township of Carnide (Lisbon, Portugal;

Figure 1) the skeletal remains of seven individuals were recovered . The funerary

anthropology suggests that the sample was buried in the necropolis of a small al-

garya (rural village) from the Medieval Islamic period (8th – 12th AD). This work

aims to present and discuss the paleopathological profile of this sample.

2. Materials & Methods The studied skeletal remains (five non-adults

and two adults [females: 1; males: 1]) were retrieved in a partially excavated

Islamic necropolis in the civil parish of Carnide. All individuals except the adult

female were almost complete and well preserved. Paleodemographic and

paleopathological analyses followed standardized procedures[1-8].

E-mail: fcurate@uc.pt

References [1] Buikstra & Ubelaker. 1994.

[2] Maresh. 1970.

[3] Al Qahtani et al. 2010.

[4] Ortner. 2003.

[5] Aufderheide & Rodrìguez-Martìn. 1998.

[6] Brooks & Suchey, 1990

[7] Buckberry & Chamberlain, 2002

[8] Bruzek & Murail, 2006

3. Results Individual #1presented lesions in the left tibia consistent with a

diagnosis of osteomyelitis (Figures 1 and 2)[4]: anomalous diaphyseal expansion

and active periostitis with no evidence of trauma, three cloacae (two with

diaphysis perforation) in the distal region, and bone sequestra. This non-adult

and also individual #6, an adult male, exhibited linear enamel hypoplasias

(Figure 3). Individual #2 displayed areas of porosity and perforation in both

orbital roofs, i.e., cribra orbitalia (Figure 4). Finally, in individual #5 both parietals

presented areas of coarse porosity with foramina coalescence (Figure 5). New

bone formation appears as long and gracile trabeculae located at a ~90º angle to

the surface of the external lamina of the skull vault. Results are summarized in

Table 1.

Individual Age Class Sex Paleopathology Dental Age Skeletal Age

#1 Non-adult Indeterminate Linear enamel hypoplasias (LEH), osteomyelitis 11.0 – 13.5 9.0 – 11.0

#2 Non-adult Indeterminate Cribra orbitalia 7.0 – 9.0 6.0 – 7.5

#3 Non-adult Indeterminate Nothing observed 1.5 – 2.0 0.5 – 1.0

#4 Non-adult Indeterminate Nothing observed --- 1.0 – 2.0

#5 Non-adult Indeterminate Porotic hyperostosis --- 0.5 – 1.0

#6 Adult (20 -29) Male LEH, calculus

#7 Adult Female Nothing observed

Table 1: Paleodemographic and paleopathological data of the Palácio Sant’Anna sample.

4. Final Remarks The paleopathological analysis of a skeletal sample

from a Medieval Islamic necropolis (8th – 12th AD), although limited by sample

size, suggests that at least some of the studied individuals experienced

physiological systemic stress. As a whole, bioarchaeological data pertaining

this small group point to faulty socioeconomic and sanitary conditions.

Figure 1: Plain radiograph of the affected tibia in individual #1 (left); notice the sequestrum in the larger cloaca (right).

Figure 2: Left and right tibias of individual #1; fusiform expansion in the right tibia, with cloacae in the distal region.

Figures 3 (left) and 4 (right): Dental enamel hypoplasias in mandibular teeth (individual #1); active cribra orbitalia with foramina coalescence (individual #2).

Figure 5: Porotic hyperostosis in the right parietal (individual #5); near the lambdoid suture, a circular orifice with well remodeled borders is observed.