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Transverse (Harris) lines in Irish archaeological remains
C Hughes1, D J Heylings, C Power
1School of Biomedical Science, Anatomy, Queens University of Belfast, Medical Biology Centre, Northern Ireland, United Kingdon.
American Journal of Physical Anthropology
|September 1, 1996
Summary
Transverse lines in long bones from medieval Ireland reveal varied health indicators. Analysis of tibia and femur bones shows inconsistent patterns, cautioning against single-bone health assessments.
Area of Science:
- Paleopathology
- Bioarchaeology
- Skeletal Biology
Background:
- Examining transverse lines (stress markers) in human skeletal remains provides insights into past health and developmental conditions.
- This study analyzes transverse lines in long bones from medieval Ireland to understand their distribution and implications.
Observation:
- 633 long bones from 73 individuals (11th-17th centuries) from Waterford City and Tintern Abbey were analyzed.
- Transverse lines were most frequent in the tibia, particularly the distal segment, and absent in the humerus and proximal femur.
- Variations in line frequency were noted between bone segments and between paired bones.
Findings:
- The distribution and number of transverse lines varied significantly across different long bones and their segments.
- No single bone type or segment reliably indicated overall individual or population health status.
- Differences in line incidence between corresponding bones suggest complex localized or systemic influences.
Implications:
- Assessing individual or population health from skeletal remains requires analyzing multiple bone types and segments.
- Transverse line data should be integrated with other paleopathological indicators for robust health status interpretations.
- This research refines methodologies for bioarchaeological health assessments in historical populations.