Integrating Osteology and Ancient DNA: Cranial Variation, Hemoglobin S, and Paternal Lineage in a Roman-Period...

(1) Background: Integrated bioarchaeological approaches combining osteological and ancient DNA analyses provide powerful insights into health, disease, and population history in past societies. However, the relationship between rare skeletal variations, genetic disorders, and ancestry remains insufficiently explored within single individuals. This study aimed to investigate the combined osteological, paleopathological, and genetic characteristics of a Roman-period individual from southwestern Anatolia. (2) Methods: A multidisciplinary approach was applied to the skeletal remains of an adult male recovered from the Sekköy excavation site. Osteological analysis was conducted to assess cranial morphology, pathological lesions, and dental status. Ancient DNA was extracted from petrous bone under strict contamination control. The hemoglobin beta (HBB) gene was analyzed using Next Generation Sequencing and validated by Sanger sequencing. Y-chromosomal STR analysis was performed to determine paternal lineage. (3) Results: Osteological examination revealed a rare craniovertebral anomaly consistent with a third occipital condyle, along with porotic hyperostosis and extensive antemortem dental pathology, indicating prolonged physiological stress. Genetic analysis identified a heterozygous hemoglobin S mutation (HbAS; rs334), confirmed by both next-generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing, providing direct molecular evidence of hereditary hemoglobinopathy. Y-STR profiling assigned the individual to haplogroup R1b (predicted based on Y-STR data), indicating affiliation with Western Eurasian paternal lineages. (4) Conclusions: Despite the presence of comparable skeletal stress indicators, the integration of osteological and genetic data revealed a complex interaction between anatomical variation, chronic physiological stress, and inherited disease. The co-occurrence of a rare cranial anomaly, HbS mutation, and a defined paternal lineage represents a unique bioarchaeological case. These findings highlight the value of integrating skeletal and molecular approaches to reconstruct individual health profiles in archaeological contexts and demonstrate the methodological potential of interdisciplinary bioarcheological analysis.