Reconstructing the Life of an Unknown (ca. 500 Years-Old South American Inca) Mummy - Multidisciplinary Study of a Peruvian Inca Mummy Suggests Severe Chagas Disease and Ritual Homicide

The paleopathological, paleoradiological, histological, molecular and forensic investigation of a female mummy (radiocarbon dated 1451-1642 AD) provides circumstantial evidence for massive skull trauma affecting a young adult female individual shortly before death along with chronic infection by Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease). The mummy (initially assumed to be a German bog body) was localized by stable isotope analysis to South America at/near the Peruvian/Northern Chilean coast line. This is further supported by New World camelid fibers attached to her plaits, typical Inca-type skull deformation and the type of Wormian bone at her occiput. Despite an only small transverse wound of the supraorbital region computed tomography scans show an almost complete destruction of face and frontal skull bones with terrace-like margins, but without evidence for tissue reaction. The type of destruction indicates massive blunt force applied to the center of the face. Stable isotope analysis indicates South American origin: Nitrogen and hydrogen isotope patterns indicate an extraordinarily high marine diet along with C4-plant alimentation which fits best to the coastal area of Pacific South America. A hair strand over the last ten months of her life indicates a shift to a more "terrestric" nutrition pattern suggesting either a move from the coast or a change in her nutrition. Paleoradiology further shows extensive hypertrophy of the heart muscle and a distended large bowel/rectum. Histologically, in the rectum wall massive fibrosis alternates with residual smooth muscle. The latter contains multiple inclusions of small intracellular parasites as confirmed by immunohistochemical and molecular ancient DNA analysis to represent a chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection. This case shows a unique paleopathological setting with massive blunt force trauma to the skull nurturing the hypothesis of a ritual homicide as previously described in South American mummies in an individual that suffered from severe chronic Chagas disease

Population genomic analysis of elongated skulls reveals extensive female-biased immigration in Early Medieval Bavaria

Modern European genetic structure demonstrates strong correlations with geography, while genetic analysis of prehistoric humans has indicated at least two major waves of immigration from outside the continent during periods of cultural change. However, population-level genome data that could shed light on the demographic processes occurring during the intervening periods have been absent. Therefore, we generated genomic data from 41 individuals dating mostly to the late 5th/early 6th century AD from present-day Bavaria in southern Germany, including 11 whole genomes (mean depth 5.56×). In addition we developed a capture array to sequence neutral regions spanning a total of 5 Mb and 486 functional polymorphic sites to high depth (mean 72×) in all individuals. Our data indicate that while men generally had ancestry that closely resembles modern northern and central Europeans, women exhibit a very high genetic heterogeneity; this includes signals of genetic ancestry ranging from western Europe to East Asia. Particularly striking are women with artificial skull deformations; the analysis of their collective genetic ancestry suggests an origin in southeastern Europe. In addition, functional variants indicate that they also differed in visible characteristics. This example of female-biased migration indicates that complex demographic processes during the Early Medieval period may have contributed in an unexpected way to shape the modern European genetic landscape. Examination of the panel of functional loci also revealed that many alleles associated with recent positive selection were already at modern-like frequencies in European populations ∼1,500 years ago

Paleoradiology – Signs of massive craniocerebral injury.

<p>(<b>A, B</b>) Three-dimensional reconstructions of the head illustrating destruction of the upper and frontal parts of the skull as well as the midface. On the right side “terrace-like”, slightly arching defects of the skull are discernible (arrows in B). (<b>C</b>) Sagittal CT reformation image of the head and neck showing numerous bony fragments inside the skull, and in between remnants of brain tissue and possibly of bleeding which accumulated especially in the posterior fossa and foramen magnum (long arrow). Preserved tongue (short arrow) with centrally overlying light seam, presumably representing remnants of bleeding. Note the conspicuous flattening of the preserved occiput (dotted arrow) indicating artificial deformity in the lifetime of the mummy.</p

Stable isotope analysis of mummy hair.

<p>Stable isotope analysis of mummy hair.</p

Molecular analysis of Trypanosoma cruzi ancient DNA.

<p>The agarose gel electrophoresis shows in lane 6 a positive amplicon of the expected size (arrow). (Lane 1: molecular weight standard; lanes 2–3: blank controls; lane 4–5: negative controls; lane 6–7: rectal wall tissue specimen of the mummy; lane 8–9: blank controls).</p

Paleoradiology – Pathologically thickened wall of the heart and rectum.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Axial and (<b>B</b>) coronar CT reformation image of the chest illustrating collapsed lung (short arrows) and a relatively large heart with a markedly thickened wall (long arrows). The heart overlies the diaphragm (dotted arrow in B). The longish hyperdense structure inside the heart represents dried blood. (<b>C</b>) Axial and (<b>D</b>) coronar CT reformation image of the lesser pelvis demonstrating massive circular thickening of the wall of the rectum (arrows). Centrally, the inflated lumen is discernible. The combination of pathologically thickened wall of the heart and rectum suggested the diagnosis of Chagas disease. For further investigations, minimal destructive biopsy of the rectum was planned on the basis of the CT reformation images.</p

Paleoradiology – The skeleton of the mummy.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Three dimensional reconstruction and (<b>B</b>) maximum intensity projection of the complete mummy giving an overview on the skeleton. (<b>C</b>) Sagittal CT reformation image showing the untouched spine and the preservation of thoracic and lumbar intervertebral discs. (<b>D</b>) Coronar CT reformation image of the lumbar spine demonstrating incomplete fusion of the apophyses of the lumbar vertebrae (short arrows). The preserved intervertebral discs reveal the outer annulus fibrosus (long arrows) as well as the inner nucleus pulposus that is now replaced by air (dotted arrow). Exemplary inscription of the segment between the third and fourth lumbar vertebra. Constitutional segmentation defect with fusion of the fifth lumbar vertebra and the sacrum on the right side (arrow line).</p

Macroscopic aspect of the mummy.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Frontal view of the mummy which reveals typical squatting position (although the legs are broken off below both knees). (<b>B</b>) External appearance of the hair plaits which are fixed at their ends by tiny ropes of foreign material. (<b>C</b>) Detailed view of the mummy’s face. Note the transverse defect above the left eye. Both eyes are closed and covered by skin. The mouth is ovally opened, the frontal teeth are missing.</p

Paleoradiology – The Wormian “Inca” bone.

<p>Three-dimensional reconstruction of the head with back view demonstrating an Inca bone. This anatomical variation represents an additional bone in the lambdoid suture. The present type of Inca bone is typically seen in South American populations, but not in European ones.</p