Anthropological conclusions of the study of Roman and Migration periods

This paper outlines the history and results of the anthropological analysis of the population of the Central Danubian Basin ranging from Roman Period to the 9th century in time. It is very important to emphasize that publications with anthropological description are of vital importance. However, for lack of space, this summary concentrated only on those works that set out to summarize and to compare, or to produce an analysis according to some innovative approach

Paleopathological changes in the Carpathian Basin in the 10th and 11th centuries

The existence of skeletal materials and accompanying archaeological subsistence data recording the shift from nomadic animal husbandary to sedentary agriculture during the 10th and 11th centuries in the Carpathian Basin offers the opportunity to document shifts in the frequencies in various disease categories. On the basis of the data from the literature of the paleopathological cases, skeletal samples representing 714 tenth and 970 eleventh century individuals are grouped for indications of environmental stress: specific disease stress (porotic hyperostosis), infections, traumatic lesions, degenerative arthritis and genetic and/or environment indicators (developmental anomalies). The frequency of lesions in the samples should not be extrapolated to the larger population, but may only be used as an indicator of a trend in the appearance of the diseases. The results suggest some significant shifts for some disease and little change for other diseases during the transition from a nomadic to a more sedentary way of life

Bevezetés a programozáshoz

A mű digitális megjelenítése az Oktatási MInisztérium támogatásával, a Felsőoktatási Tankönyv- és Szakkönyv-támogatási Pályázat keretében történt

Bevezetés a programozásba

A mű digitális megjelenítése az Oktatási Minisztérium támogatásával, a Felsőoktatási Tankönyv- és Szakkönyv-támogatási Pályázat keretében történt

New skeletal tuberculosis cases in past populations from Western Hungary (Transdanubia)

The distribution, antiquity and epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) have previously been studied in osteoarchaeological material in the eastern part of Hungary, mainly on the Great Plain. The purpose of this study is to map the occurrence of skeletal TB in different centuries in the western part of Hungary, Transdanubia, and to present new cases we have found. Palaeopathological analysis was carried out using macroscopic observation supported by radiographic and molecular methods. A large human osteoarchaeological sample (n = 5684) from Transdanubian archaeological sites ranging from the 2nd to the 18th centuries served as a source of material. Spinal TB was observed in seven individuals (in three specimens with Pott's disease two of which also had cold abscess) and hip TB was assumed in one case. The results of DNA for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were positive in seven of the eight cases identified by paleopathology, and negative in the assumed case of hip TB. However, the molecular results are consistent with highly fragmented DNA, which limited further analysis. Based on the present study and previously published cases, osteotuberculosis was found in Transdanubia mainly during the 9th–13th centuries. However, there are no signs of TB in many other 9th–13th century sites, even in those that lie geographically close to those where osteotuberculous cases were found. This may be due to a true absence of TB caused by the different living conditions, way of life, or origin of these populations. An alternative explanation is that TB was present in some individuals with no typical paleopathology, but that death occurred before skeletal morphological features could develop

The paternal genetic legacy of Hungarian-speaking Rétköz (Hungary) and Váh valley (Slovakia) populations

One hundred and six Rétköz and 48 Váh valley samples were collected from the contact zones of Hungarian-Slovakian territories and were genotyped for Y-chromosomal haplotypes and haplogroups. The results were compared with contemporary and archaic data from published sources. The genetic composition of the Rétköz population from Hungary and the Váh valley population from Slovakia indicates different histories. In the Rétköz population, the paternal lineages that were also found in the Hungarian Conquerors, such as R1a-Z93, N-M46, Q-M242, and R1b-L23, were better preserved. These haplogroups occurred in 10% of the population. The population of the Váh valley, however, is characterized by the complete absence of these haplogroups. Our study did not detect a genetic link between the Váh valley population and the Hungarian Conquerors; the genetic composition of the Váh valley population is similar to that of the surrounding Indo-European populations. The Hungarian Rétköz males shared common haplotypes with ancient Xiongnu, ancient Avar, Caucasian Avar, Abkhazian, Balkarian, and Circassian males within haplogroups R1a-Z93, N1c-M46, and R1b-L23, indicating a common genetic footprint. Another difference between the two studied Hungarian populations can be concluded from the Fst-based MDS plot. The Váh valley, in the western part of the Hungarian-Slovakian contact zone, is genetically closer to the Western Europeans. In contrast, Rétköz is in the eastern part of that zone and therefore closer to the Eastern Europeans