MUMMIFIED BURIAL OF A CHILD FROM THE SARYG-BULUN BURIAL GROUND (CENTRAL TUVA). NEW DATA FROM ARCHAEOLOGY, RADIOGRAPHY, ANTHROPOLOGY AND GENETICS

In 1988 on the right bank of the Yenisei River in Central Tuva, two burial mounds from the Saryg-Bulun burial ground were excavated. Burial № 5 attracted special attention of archaeologists — it contained the partially mummified remains of a child with a rich and unusual inventory (bow, quiver with arrows, a hat, engraving on a wooden handle) in a wooden block. A recent genetic analysis made it possible to establish, contrary to expectations, the female sex of an individual. Over the years, thanks to the development of natural scientific methods, it was possible to gradually obtain new data on the life and death of this girl. The article presents the results of an examination of the mummy by the method of microfocus digital radiography and a new paleogenetic study, which made it possible to determine the child’s mitochondrial haplogroup (D4g2, which is widespread in East and Central Asia). The rich grave goods indicate the high status. Her biological age was determined — 6–7 years. Indicators of physiological stress (Harris lines), the presence of noticeable physical exertion on the belt of the upper extremities during the child’s life, and rickets were revealed. Radiography made it possible to detect artifacts invisible during a superficial examination, for example, a knife that was previously unnoticed in the deck. Genetic data are consistent with observations on the possible horizontal flattening of the girl’s facial skeleton and the spatula-like shape of her upper incisor. The applied methods and the results obtained allow authors to look in a new light at the issues of the genesis of the Aldy-Bel culture and the theme of childhood in the early Scythian time.

New and Emerging Prospects for the Paleopathological Study of Starvation

Starvation represents a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality, past and present, and is therefore of critical importance to the field of paleopathology. Scholars have previously argued that while critical to understanding past human health, starvation is often not directly observable in skeletal remains. But is this assessment still valid today? In re-evaluating this assessment, this paper discusses new developments in the analysis of (1) the “hunger osteopathies” (osteoporosis with some overlay of osteomalacia), (2) skeletal signs of arrested growth such as Harris lines and Linear Enamel Hypoplasia (LEH), and (3) carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of skeletal remains. Periods of starvation are known to cause these visible and chemical alterations within skeletal remains, but these phenomena are complex, multi-etiological, and approaches to evaluate them are often fraught with a lack of standardization and specificity. An interdisciplinary approach synthesizing multiple lines of osteological and dental evidence, borrowing anatomical and medical research, and implementing new advancements in computer modeling, imaging modalities, and chemical micro-sampling may theoretically aid in inferring starvation bioarchaeologically.

Dental corrosion in preindustrial societies: A case study of a child from “Pedra do Cachorro” dating to 1,470 BP, Northeastern Brazil

Systemic vomiting resulting from mental disorders and the high intake of acidic beverage in industrial societies result in a relatively elevated frequency of dental corrosion. In the past, however, this type of chemical dental wear was rather rare. Here we describe the case of a 3-year-old child dated to 1470±30BP from the archaeological site of Pedra do Cachorro (northeastern Brazil) that presents a unique pattern of chemical wearing compatible with dental corrosion. We integrate this observation with a broader characterization of buccal health including caries, periapical lesions, dental calculus and periodontal bone resorption. Osteological markers of physiological imperilments such as linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) and transverse radiopaque lines (Harris lines) are also considered.

Living on the Edge

Harvey, Cohen, and Danforth examine health among the Tipu Maya of Colonial Belize in “Living on the Edge” through the prism of Naum’s (2011) concept of frontiers created under colonialism. The authors embrace a multi-method approach where diverse lines of independent but complementary data are assembled to characterize the health of the 588 Tipu Maya during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Harvey and colleagues’ analysis integrates data from ethnohistory, mortuary patterns, paleodemography, multiple expressions of subadult health (i.e., macro- and micro enamel defects, anemia, Harris Lines), adult health (i.e., specific and non-specific skeletal infection), traumatic injury, and cortical bone maintenance. Hypothesizing that the Tipu population living in the tumultuous Yucatán would demonstrate particularly high rates of skeletal pathological conditions (particularly violent trauma). Harvey and colleagues observed quite the opposite. They argue that the frontier nature of Tipu was itself a contested hybrid space—a kind of borderland, or “Third Space.” Living in this liminal zone between the different political spheres likely allowed for Tipuans to create a distinct identity and social experience that compared to other Colonial Maya communities, shielded them from greater degrees of biological stress and morbidity.

Chilean Infant Mummy in the Collections of the Náprstek Museum: Anthropological Analysis

This paper reports conclusions from an anthropological analysis of a mummy bundle from the Azapa Valley in northern Chile. The mummy was acquired by Dr. Václav Šolc in 1966–1967. The bundle was examined with the use of computed tomography (CT) and the results were compared to unpublished findings from 2009. The remains are that of an infant that died of unknown causes. The possible presence of Harris lines suggests that the individual suffered from stress during their life. The mummification process was in all probability spontaneous.