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Vertebral pathologies and related activity patterns in two mediaeval populations from Spain
Sylvia Jiménez-Brobeil1, María Roca-Rodriguez, Oumaoui Ihab Al
1University of Granada, Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Anthropology, Granada, Spain. jbrobeil@ugr.es
Collegium Antropologicum
|December 11, 2012
Summary
Vertebral pathologies like Schmorl
Area of Science:
- Paleopathology and Bioarchaeology
- Skeletal Biology
- Osteological Analysis
Background:
- Investigating vertebral pathologies as indicators of lifestyle and activity in past populations.
- Examining skeletal remains from Christian and Muslim communities in medieval Spain.
Observation:
- Analyzed 2165 vertebrae from 124 individuals from Villanueva de Soportilla (Christian) and La Torrecilla (Muslim).
- Assessed degenerative joint diseases, Schmorl's nodes, compression fractures, and spondylolysis with spondylolisthesis.
- Compared prevalence of pathologies between sexes and across the two distinct communities.
Findings:
- Most pathologies were more common in males, suggesting more demanding labor.
- Males in Villanueva (peasant-soldiers) showed higher rates than males in La Torrecilla.
- Females in Christian Villanueva had higher rates than Muslim females, correlating with domestic roles.
Implications:
- Vertebral pathologies offer insights into historical labor practices and sex-based activity differences.
- Community and religious affiliation influenced occupational activities and skeletal health.
- Highlights the utility and limitations of using vertebral conditions as bioarchaeological markers.
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