Bronze and Iron Ages warriors from the Qarashamb burial ground: anthropological and paleopathological perspective

This article enters the anthropological materials from warrior burials of the Qarashamb burial ground. Monument are in the territory of the Kotayk province of Armenia. The article provides a comprehensive analysis within the framework of integrative anthropology and represents itself consolidation of two of it such sections as physical anthropology and paleopathology. When describing and diagnosing pathological changes, a macroscopic method of research was used. The analysis showed that individuals has features of the southern-еuropean type. According to the average modulus of the crown, the individuals shows evidence of microdontism. Based on osteometric characteristics, individuals were characterized by medium height and strong physique. The specificity of the development of musculoskeletal relief is associated with horse riding. The osteological evidence suggests that these ― warrior burials were more likely status symbols, since the remains do not exhibit any battle related ante- or perimortem trauma. The lifetime general state of health of individuals can be characterized as healthy

A dental non-metric analysis of the Classical/Late Antiquity period (1st century BC–3rd century AD) population from Armenian Plateau

The aim of the study is to assess of the biological distance between the populations from the Armenian Plateau and Georgia, with samples from Eastern Europe, and Central Asia on the basis of the frequency of dental non-metric traits. It is well known that these traits are characterised by high inter-population differentiation, low sexual dimorphism, and their recording is loaded by relatively small intra and inter observer error. The dental non-metric traits are successfully used in the description and explanation of the ethnogenetic processes. The comparative analysis was carried out on the basis of 19 populations. The frequency of the dental non-metric traits among all the populations was analysed using the multiple correspondence analysis and the cluster analysis. Analysis results do not allow to concretize the sources of components of the odontological structure of the Classical/Late Antiquity period populations of the Armenian Highland reducing them to the direct influence of representatives of any cultures or communities. Future dental morphology investigation in Armenia should focus on characterizing, with the aid of an identified skeletal collection, the frequencies of traits on an Armenia large sample. This would be only a gateway to a wider (geographically and, more important, chronologically) dental morphology characterization of Armenian peoples

Teeth in the nasal cavity in adult individual of a Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages Bardzryal site (Armenia)

Multiple supernumerary teeth is an infrequent developmental alteration. The paper reports on research into a nasal tooth sample belonging to a 20-29-years-old man excavated from the Bardzryal archaeological site in Lori province, Armenia. The tooth crown extended into thet nasal cavity. X-ray revealed that another tooth is next to the first. The individual of Bardzryal was dated between the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages

Radicular dens invaginatus in Late Bronze Age in Armenia

The purpose of this paper was to present a case of type III dens invaginatus, identified on the maxillary right second premolar. To date there have been no reports about dens invaginatus in ancient teeth from Armenia. This skull was unearthed from Quchak site (Aparan region) in Armenia. Based on archaeological findings, most of the graves of Quchak were dated to the Late Bronze Age

An anthropological and paleopatological research of human skeletons from buries 7c. BC from Nor Armavir burial ground (Armenia)

The material of the study was the skeletal remains of 10 individuals (one man, three women, 5 children and one individual without sex definition) discovered in August 2019 during excavations of New Armavir grave. For the first time, a comprehensive paleoanthropological analysis of the data was obtained for this grave. The study was carried out by visual examination of skeletons and radiography. Traces of pathological processes on skeletons have been revealed and their etiology has been reconstructed. The structure of the paleopathological profile of the sample is dominated by inflammatory diseases, abnormalities and injuries. The tradition of inadvertently changing the shape of the head in a given sample probably caused a specific way of caring for the infant in the early years of his life and a long stay in a certain cradle. Two craniological complexes can be conditionally isolated as part of this group. The first is of the low-head mesocrane type, the second high-head dolichocrane type. The odontological complex is of the southern graceful type with a high level of reduction of the hypoconus of the second upper molars, small tooth sizes. At the individual level, the total size and shape of the body of the adult population has been analysed. Labour burdens are recorded in both women and men. It has been established that the state of health of individuals buried in the grave was unsatisfactory, as evidenced by the large number of pathologies. In our study, 5 out of 4 children skeletons with evident lesions, that were defined as diagnostic of scurvy. An anthropological analysis of 10 skeletons revealed at the 4 individuals penetrating wounds on the skeletons. Although considerable uncertainty remains, we believe that the most likely conclusion is that Nor Armavir burials represent a place for at least some sacrificed individuals dedicated as offerings.</p

Teeth in the nasal cavity in adult individual of a Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages Bardzryal site (Armenia)

Multiple supernumerary teeth is an infrequent developmental alteration. The paper reports on research into a nasal tooth sample belonging to a 20-29-years-old man excavated from the Bardzryal archaeological site in Lori province, Armenia. The tooth crown extended into thet nasal cavity. X-ray revealed that another tooth is next to the first. The individual of Bardzryal was dated between the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages

Bioarcheology of bone remains from medieval burials from Armenia

The aim of this article was to document the paleopathology of the individuals from the archeological sites of the Early Middle Age from burials from the Armenia (Lori and Syunik provinces). The examined groups consisted of osteological remains of 28 individuals (10 men, 5 women, 8 children and 5 adults of unknown). Standard bioarchaeological methods were used for sex and age-at-death determinations. The standard assessment program of skeletal pathological conditions, macroscopic and x-ray and histopathology methods were applied. Three cradle-deformed deformed skulls and artificial fronto-occipital deformation were identified. The analysed samples is characterised by the presence of pathological changes which are often associated with stressful episodes such as anaemia, inadequate nutrition, infectious diseases and the occurrence of parasites. Nine of the individuals in the samples presented with well-healed, healing or perimortem fractures. One case in particular showed signs of a traumatic death. The spread of signs of inflammatory processes in the adult and child population indicates the presence of a wide range of factors influencing the appearance of various infectious diseases of a non-specific nature, such as poor hygiene and population density (periostitis: № 1: 4-6 years, № 3: ♂ 40-49 years, № 4: ♂ 50-54 years, № 6: 5-6 years; leprosy: № 4: ♂ 50-54 years, dental abscess: № 5, ♂ 50-59). Probably meat was the basis of the diet of the medieval population of Armenia. Although the sample size was small in the case of 4 sites, bioarchaeological data from the studied historical population of Lori and Syunik provinces are useful in understanding the lifeways of the ancient Armenian population

Nonmetric dental trait in human skeletal remains from Armenian Highland : phylogenetic and evolutionary implications

Biocultural diversity of ancient Transcaucasian populations has not been studied extensively, therefore delineating some of the patterns of phenotypic variation may be useful for understanding their ongoing evolution. Dental morphological traits were employed in this study as direct indicators of biological affinities among the populations that inhabited the Transcaucasian peninsula from the Bronze Age to 20 century. Inter-group affinities were assessed by means of a principal component and cluster analysis based on trait frequencies. The samples from Armenian highland and Georgia, is identified as possessing closer affinities to the samples from Kalmykia (Pit Grave culture), Ukraine (Tripolye culture), Ural (Sintashtinskaya, Timber Grave cultures), Volga region (Pit Grave, Balanovo, Fatianovo, Potapovsky cultures), Center Asia (Gonur-Depe, Kazibaba I /Sauromatians and Late Sarmatians/), Latvia (Kiwytkalnsk), Don region (Mayackaya, Dmitrovskaya) and Lithuania (Dzemaiti). The biologically admixed group or “Mestizo” (Armenian highland: Beniamin-Vardbakh-Black Fortress I, Karmrakar) has a more complicated pattern of phenotypic relationships but from an evident European component. From an evolutionary point of view, gene flow probably is the most important factor that changed the original gene pool through Classical time (1st century BC - 3rd century AD). This group have a complex landscape of biocultural variation reflected by their different microevolutionary histories. It is, however, feasible to depict a scenario where processes of genetic mixture or replacement probably took place at different rates on a macro-regional level

Facial clefting in a XVII - XVI centuries BC from Lchashen site, Armenia

This paper identifies the presence of facial clefting in archaeological population from Middle Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age in Armenia. The remains of skeleton from Lchashen site (burial 221/2), comprise the skull and post-cranial skeleton of a female 30-39 years. Macroscopic physical examination revealed that individual suffered from inflammation. Considering the ethnographic aspects, the study reveals that inflammation possibly caused by because of sinusitis or inhaling polluted air for a long duration. In addition, we have seen skeletal evidence for pulmonary disease: tuberculosis. The severe dental wear is a direct result of the food processing techniques used by prehistoric Armenia. We have seen evidence of interpersonal violence. All of these factors suggest that the female from Lchashen led a physically strenuous lifestyle. Before us is the individual with signs of intensive exercise stresses

Subcircular perforations of the hard palate of the individual from Lchashen site (Armenia)

This paper identifies the presence of palate cleft in the individual from Middle Bronze Age and Late Bronze Age in the Armenia. The remains of skeleton from Lchashen site (burial 221/2), comprise the skull and post-cranial skeleton of a female 30-39 years. Macroscopic physical examination revealed that individual suffered from inflammation. The study reveals that inflammation possibly caused by because of sinusitis or inhaling polluted air for a long duration. In addition, we have seen skeletal evidence for pulmonary disease: tuberculosis. The female from Lchashen led a physically strenuous lifestyle