Sensationalism and speaking to the public: scientific rigour and interdisciplinary collaborations in palaeopathology

YesObjectives: In this brief communication we discuss issues concerning scientific rigour in palaeopathological publications, particularly studies published in clinical or general science journals, that employ skeletal analysis to elucidate the lives and deaths of historical figures or interpret “mysterious” assemblages or burials. We highlight the relationship between poor methodological rigour and lack of interdisciplinary communication, and discuss how this can result in scientifically weak, sensational narratives being presented to the public. Conclusions: Although most high profile publications involving analysis of archaeological human remains are methodologically sound and well interpreted, others have suffered from poor scientific rigour stemming from an apparent lack of awareness of anthropological methods and ethics. When these publications are highlighted by the press, sensationalistic narratives are perpetuated which may reflect poorly on our discipline and give the public unrealistic expectations about our work. Suggestions for future research: We suggest that best practice in high-profile paleopathological research include recruitment of a range of authors and reviewers from clinical sciences, anthropology, and the humanities, consideration of the ethical issues surrounding retrospective diagnosis, and transparency with the press in regards to the limitations inherent in this kind of work

Comment on Charlier et al., 2019 "The Mandible of Saint-Louis (1270 AD): Retrospective diagnosis and circumstances of death"

YesWe read with interest the recent article by Charlier and colleagues entitled “The Mandible of Saint-Louis (1270 AD): Retrospective diagnosis and circumstances of death” [1]. This work, which consisted of macroscopic examination of a mandible purported to belong to the Crusader King of France and a review of historical accounts pertaining to his death, generated a good deal of press coverage and stimulated public interest in the fascinating field of palaeopathology. However, as researchers engaged in studying dental and nutritional disease in archaeological human remains we have some concerns with the methodology employed by the authors and the conclusions reached from the data they have collected. These include issues of provenance, lesion description, diagnostic methodology employed, and problems with historical references

Is there a 'Lapita diet'? A comparison of Lapita and post-Lapita skeletal samples from four Pacific Island archaeological sites

After 1,550 bce, Austronesian-speaking people arrived in the Bismarck Archipelago in northeast New Guinea and left behind the remnants of what is now known as the Lapita cultural complex. Hailing from island Southeast Asia (ISEA), Lapita populations rapidly sailed east from New Guinea, crossing the divide between Near and Remote Oceania around 1,150 bce (Figure 17.1, Chapter 17) (Kirch, 1997; Spriggs, 1997; Summerhayes, 2001; Galipaud and Swete Kelly, 2007; Galipaud, 2010). This migration marked the arrival of the first humans into the previously uninhabited region east of the Solomon Islands, the western boundary of Remote Oceania. Over a period of about 300 years, Lapita populations settled Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa (Kirch, 1997). As these populations sailed eastward, they faced progressively less ecologically diverse environments in which to establish their communities. Adaptation to these island environments was essential for the successful Lapita settlement of the western Pacific Islands (Kirch, 1997; Spriggs, 1997)

Exploring subsistence and cultural complexes on the south coast of Papua New: Guinea using palaeodietary analyses

We present the results of a palaeodietary study of a skeletal sample (~800-300 BP) from the south coast of Papua New Guinea (Nebira, site ACJ) using multiple stable isotope analysis of bone collagen. The carbon, nitrogen and sulphur stable isotope ratio

Microfossil and Fourier Transform InfraRed analyses of Lapita and post-Lapita human dental calculus from Vanuatu, Southwest Pacific

Here we report on microfossil analysis of human dental calculus from Lapita (3000-2600 yr BP) and post-Lapita (2300-2000 yr BP) burials from Vao and Uripiv, Vanuatu. Phytoliths of introduced Musa and indigenous Heliconia in the calculus suggest the use of these taxa as food wrappings. Phytoliths and most other material in the calculus, namely sponge spicules, calcium oxalate crystals, xylem and charcoal, are unequivocal identifications. Another type of material, comprising degraded objects with a general morphology suggesting starch grains, is uncertain, however, as the unequivocal starch indicator, the Maltese cross, was not observed. We used a new method for calculus analysis, Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy (FTIR), comparing the suspected starch with modern reference starch of prehistoric Pacific crops. Although the ancient FTIR analysis was limited to a small number of suspected starch grains, the results provide another line of evidence for starch. The calculus data are consistent with previous microfossil studies of Lapita deposits at the sites, and demonstrate the efficacy of this technique in contributing to the definition of the history of plant use and diet of early Pacific Island populations

Konstruktion und Bau einer Bedruckungs- und Umspuleinheit

Die vorliegende Arbeit befasst sich mit einer zu konstruierenden Fertigungsanlage, welche einlaminierte Flachbandkabel mittels eines Drucksystems beidseitig bedruckt. Eine ältere Version einer Bedruckungs- und Umspuleinheit wurde bereits von der Firma AKON konstruiert und dient hierbei als Referenzmodel. Ein besonderer Schwerpunkt ist hierbei die Anforderung einer beidseitigen Bedruckung der Flachbandkabel, mit einem vorgegebenenDruckersystem der Fa. Markem Image. Die 3-D Daten einer bereits gefertigten Anlage wurden bereitgestellt und konnten teilweise wieder in die neue Fertigungsanlage einbezogen werden

Scurvy in a tropical paradise? Evaluating the possibility of infant and adult vitamin C deficiency in the Lapita skeletal sample of Teouma, Vanuatu, Pacific islands

The Neolithic colonisation of the Pacific islands was one of the most challenging migration events in human history. The regions east of the Solomon Islands were colonised relatively recently by a people known as the Lapita. The Lapita brought with them a 'transported landscape' of domesticated plants and animals that had to be established upon arrival for the survival of these fledgling communities. Colonisation of these previously uninhabited islands was potentially perilous, and could leave colonisers vulnerable to periods of resource stress. The largest cemetery sample of Lapita people from the site of Teouma in Vanuatu offers a unique opportunity to assess the impact of colonisation on the health of pioneering populations. This paper explores the possibility that Teouma people experienced vitamin C deficiency as one of the consequences of the agricultural subsistence practices during the initial phases of island colonisation. Skeletal lesions in infants and adults indicative of scurvy suggest that initial colonisation phases in the Pacific islands involved precarious times involving deficiencies of key nutrients. Colonisation of the Pacific islands may share similar frameworks and problems as periods of subsistence transition in other parts of the world

Possible diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) in a 3000-year-old Pacific Island skeletal assemblage

The Teouma skeletal assemblage represents a group of colonists from the earliest phase of the Vanuatu archipelago's prehistory. Previous examinations of the assemblage identified high levels of hyperostosis, which we investigate further here. Based on a differential diagnosis of conditions known to produce ectopic bone formation, we argue that the pattern of skeletal change is most consistent with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) although we acknowledge that, given the preservation of the sample, it is difficult to distinguish DISH from other causes of hyperostosis with absolute certainty. In modern and bioarchaeological studies, DISH has been associated with metabolic disease and dietary practices. Based on previous stable isotopes analyses, it is thought that the Teouma people were heavily reliant on purine-rich marine resources and terrestrial animal protein, the type of diet thought to contribute to DISH development. We therefore compared dietary stable isotope values of groups of individuals with and without evidence for DISH. No significant relationships between DISH status and carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope values were observed, suggesting that individual access to particular dietary resources was not the cause of DISH in those affected from Teouma, although the dietary constraints of the colonizing context may still have played an important role in the development of this condition for individuals otherwise predisposed to the disease. Individual predisposition may have been influenced by a propensity for hyperinsulinemia or hyperuricemia, brought about by the selective pressures of the colonization process. The high prevalence of hyperostosis and DISH in this skeletal assemblage may be evidence for a prehistoric variant of metabolic disease, which is observed at a high frequency in the Pacific today.Funding of the project during 2004 to 2006 was provided by the Australian Research Council (DP0556874), the National Geographic Society (Scientific Research Grant 8038-06), the Pacific Biological Foundation, the Department of Archaeology and Natural History and School of Archaeology and Anthropology at the ANU, the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation Foundation, and Mr. Brian Powell. The Australian Research Council (DP0880789) provided funding for later fieldwork. The laboratory research and travel for excavation of the skeletal remains by Dr. Aimee Foster, Dr. Rebecca Kinaston and Professor Hallie Buckley were funded by The Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund (UOO0917); a University of Otago Research Grant; the University of Otago Postgraduate Scholarship; the Department of Anatomy, University of Otago; and The Royal Society of New Zealand Skinner Fund

The Routledge handbook of bioarchaeology in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands

Recent excavations at the coastal cemetery of Pain Haka on Flores have revealed evidence of burial practices similar to those documented in other parts of Southeast Asia. Chief among these is the use of pottery jars alongside other forms of container for the interment of the dead. The dating of the site combined with the fact that this burial practice is present over such a wide geographic area suggests a widespread belief system during the Neolithic period across much of Southeast Asia