Farkas, Gyula

English

Farkas Gyula

University of Szeged

Acta Biologies Síreged. 20 (1—4). pp. 183—135 (1974) O B S E R V E D C A S E S O F O S M A L A R E B I P A R T I T L M I N H U N G A R I A N P A L E O A N T H R O P O E O G I C A L F I N D S G Y . F A R K A S Depart ment of Anthropology, Attila József University, Szeged (Received June 23, 1973) Abstract Os malare bipartitum was found lo occur in 10 cases among 1860 paleoanthropologies! finds dating from the Middle European Copper Age to the Hungarian Middle Age, and primarily from the first millenium A. D. Three of these cases were of a Mongoloid nature. It appears obvious that a congenital anomaly is involved; there are no sexual dilTerences in its occurrence, but it was observed more frequently on both sides of the splanchnocranium simultaneously. The frequency of 0.54% seems low compared to the literature data, but at the same time supports observations as lo the extreme rareness of this anomaly. In the study of palaeoanthropological material, besides the establishment of the metrical characteristics the observation of the non-metrical (morphological) variations (anatomical variations, pathological symptoms) too is becoming in-creasingly more important, since these permit the ascertainment of differences be-tween individual populations ( B R O T H W E L L , 1959). The observation of ten cha-racteristics is proposed in the literature ( B R O T H W E L L , 1963). Os malare bipartitum rtoo can be regarded as such a characteristic. This congenital anomaly can be observed on the cheek bone (os malare), and arises through its bipartition by a suture. According to Virchow, two types can be distinguished: 1. division into an upper and a lower part by a transverse suture, and 2. division into an anterior and a posterior part by a vertical suture (FEHI';R, 1937). Its formation has been explained by the occurrence of several ossification centres, though the presence of these has not yet been confirmed ( M A R T I N and S A L L P R . 1959). The phenomenon was first described by S A N D I F O R T in 1779 (FEHÉR, 1937), and has been mentioned since by a number of authors. It was termed by Hi EGEN-DO RF and D Ö N I T Z os japonicum, by V I R C H O W OS malare bipartitum ( R A N K E , 1881), by GRLIBFR os zygomaticum bipartitum ( G R U B E R , 1873a), and by B A L Z OS amoicum ( M A R T I N and S A L L E R , 1959). The nomenclature os malare bipartitum was first used by MATIEGKA (1899) . In addition to the bipartite cheek bone, os malare tripartitum too can occur very rarely. This was first described by S P I X ( 1 8 1 5 ) , and later reported by other authors as well. Thus, G R U B E R , R I C C A R D I , R U G G E R I and C A L O R I describe its oc-currence in human, and F L E S C H and H R D L I C K A in orang-utan skulls ( G R U B E R . 1873b: C A L O R I , 1893). It emerges from the literature references that the phenomenon of the bipartite cheek bone has been known for more than 150 years, and it is not surprising, there-184 GY, FARKAS fore, ihat many populations have since been subjected to study with regard to the observation of its occurrence. Virchow found one such anomaly in 800 Bavarian skulls ( R A N K E , 1 8 8 1 ) , and H I L G E N D O R F two cases from among il Japanese skulls, while D Ö N I T Z described it in Aino skulls ( M A T I E G K A , 1 8 9 9 ) . E L L I O T — S M I T H and W O O D — J O N E S ( 1 9 1 0 ) found seven cases in a large Egyptian series. M ATIEGKA ( 1 8 9 9 ) recognized it in one male skull, and gives the detailed literature of this anomaly. In European populations it occurs with a frequency of 0.15—10.25% ( F E H É R , 1937). The investigations of N A K A N O , K O G A N E I , HASEBE, A D A C H I and T O L D T in-dicate that its frequency of occurrence in Japanese skulls is 3 . 5 % ( F E H É R , 1 9 3 7 ) . It has been examined in Aino skulls by B A R T E L S , B A L Z , D O N I T Z , V I R C H O W , K O P E R N I I Z K Y . K O G A N E I , L F D O U B L E , T A R E N E C Z K Y , H A B F R E R a n d T Ö R Ö K ( F E H É R , 1 9 3 7 ; M A T I E G K A , 1 8 9 9 ) . Os malare bipartitum has also been found in a smaller material among Chinese, Koreans and extinct Peruvians, while only two cases have so far been described among Negroids ( M A R T I N and S A L L E R , 1 9 5 9 ) . H R D L I Í K A and RUSSEL found a frequency of only 0 . 0 6 % in North-American Indians. At any event, the presumed greater frequency in the Mongoloid races induced research workers to describe bipartite cheek bone as os japonicum ( H I L G E N D O R F and D Ö N I T Z ) and os ainoicum (BALZ). In this way it was wished to indicate that this anomaly should be treated as a characteristic of humans belonging to the Mongoloid races. At the same time, M A R T I N and S A L L E R ( 1 9 5 9 ) point out that this suture anomaly occurs too rarely among the Mongolids main-races for it to be treated as specific for them. This also appears to be supported by the fact that the frequency ibund in Japanese skulls has a range 0 — 5 . 0 8 % , whereas in certain cases among Europeans it can even attain 10%. Hungarian material has been examined by L U S C H A N . M E R E L Y and F E H É R ; the former two authors found it to be more frequent, and the latter a frequency of 0.15% ( F E H É R , 1937). .Materials and Methods The Department of Anthropology in A. J. University, Szeged possesses several thousand authenticated palaeoanthropological finds; in addition to the customary anthropological evaluation, therefore, it was also possible to pay attention lo this anomaly. The finds were examined by the technique of M A R T I N and SALLER to establish the following measurements: greatest length of the skull, the greatest width of the skull, the basion-bregma height, the width of the malar arch, the height of the upper face, the length and width of the palate, and the height and width of the orbit. The dimensions of the os malare and the suturai bone separated by the transverse suture were also established in the following way: Greatest height of the os malare: the straight-line distance of the highest point of the zygomatt-cofrontal suture from the lowest point of the zygomaticomaxillary suture. Upper width of the os malare: the straight-line distance between the highest points of the zygomaticomaxillary and zygomaticotemporal sutures. Lower width of the os malare: the straight-line distance between the lowest points of the zygo-maticomaxillary and zygomaticotemporal sutures. Greatest length of suturai bone: where found. Greatest height of sutural bone: where found. The taxonomic determination is reported on the basis of the method of L IPTAK (1972) . Finally, the dimensions, the most important indices and the results of the taxonomic determina-tion are tabulated. The more detailed description of the observed cases is as follows: Most important measurements of skulls with os malare bipartitum Skull inventory numbers, according to sex Measurements and indices Males Females Child 1920. 981. 52.382.1. 257. 4076. 1717. 1804. 864. 86!. 1175. Glabello-occipita! length 191 180 188 177 173 167 176 180 161 Maximum breadth of skull 152 161 139 146 148 143 134 143 130 Basion-bregma height 126 129 131 137 138 117 122 127 — Crania] index 79,6 89,4 73,9 82,5 85,6 — 80,2 «1,3 72,2 Breadth-height index 82,9 80.1 94,2 93.8 93,2 81,8 91,0 88.8 — — Bizygomatic breadth 145 142 ¡26 133 130 121 126 120 — — Upper facial height 80 70 63 76 67 70 70 64 69 50 Upper facial index 55,2 49,3 50,0 57,1 51,5 57,9 55,6 49,2 Orbital breadth 40 37 39 37 36 43 39 41 39 34 Orbital height 37 32 30 30 32 39 36 33 30 30 Orbital index 92,5 86,5 76,9 81,1 88,9 90,7 92,3 80,5 76,9 88,2 Palatal length 49 45 46 55 46 50 40 49 46 Palatal breadth 40 44 41 40 39 41 40 40 36 Palatal index 81,6 97,8 89,1 72,7 84,8 82,0 100.0 8!,6 78,3 Height of os malare (right) 61 — 45 - 48 47 52 50 — Height of os malare (left) 54 — 45 — 47 47 50 47 35 Upper breadth o ios malare (right) 50 — — — — 43 — 46 — Upper breadth of os malare (left) 50 — 38 — 42 37 44 34 Lower breadth of os malare (right) 27 — — — — 38 26 Lower breadth of os mafare (left) 32 — 18 — 30 32 17 27 18 Height ofsutura! bone (right) 12 — — — — 9 10 9 Height ofsutural bone (left) — — 9 — 7 — 7 • • — . 7 Length ofsutural bone (right) 32 — — — — 36 — 29 — — Length ofsutural bone (left) 30 — 18 — 31 — 15 — — * 21 Result of taxonomic determination b p—sa crA—am [ grB — p—x crB—x n Explanation of symbols; b - B a j k a l , p = Pamirian, sa = Sajanic, crA = Cromagnoid-A, am = Atlantomediterranean, t=Turan id , crB = Cromagnoid-B, n = Nordic, x = unknown. 186 GY, F A R K A S [, Skull no. 1920. Site of find: unknown. Archaeological age unknown, but because of the mongolid features (Fig. I, 1—2) probably Avar Period. A male of mature age. Bilateral os malare bipartitum, where the transverse suture is obliterated in both cases (Fig. 1. 3), Palatine, maxillary and mandibular tori (Fig. I, 4—5) are to be found on the skull, with two os epiptehcum on the left side. From a laxonomic viewpoint it can be identified with the Bajkal race. O B S E R V E D CASES Ol OS M A L A R E B I P A R T I T U M 187 2. Skull no. 98!. Site of find: Adorján-Vala farm (Yugoslavia}, grave no. 30. Avar Period. The find is in (he collection of the Vojvodanski Muzej, Novi Sad, and was reported earlier ( B A R T U C Z and FARKAS, 1957). A male of mature age. Bilateral os inalare bipartitum can be found on the skul! (Fig. 1, 6 and 2, 1). From a taxonomic viewpoint it is a mixed variant of the Pamirian and Tungid (low-faced Mongoloid) races, i.e. Europeomongoloid. 3. Skull no. 52,382.1. Site of find: Orosháza-Rákóczi site, grave no. 232, Arpadian age. A male of adult age. Os malare bipartitum on the left side (Fig. 2. 2), with Worm-type bones in the lamboid suture. A mixed variant of the Cromagnoid-A and Atlantomediterranean races ( I . IPTÁK and F A R -KAS, 1962). 1KB C Y . P A R K A S 4. Skull no. 257. Site of find: Zombor— Biikkszallas (Yugoslavia), grave no. 61, 15ih—17th century. The find is in the collection of the Vojvodanski Muzej. Novi Sad. A male of mature age. Os malare bipartitum can be found on both sides, but that on the left side is extensively damaged (Fig. 2, 4—5). A metopie suture can be observed on the os frontale. According to B A R T U C Z (I960!, the find exhibits Turanoid features, i.e. it is Europeomongoloid. 5. Skull no. 4076. Site of find: VedreshSza, grave no. 64, Avar Period. A male of mature age. Ossified os malare bipartitum on the left side (Fig. 2, 3), Os epiptericum and a Worm-type bone can be found on the skull. It exhibits features of the Cromagnoid-B taxon. 5 F i g . 3 6 t O B S E R V E D C A S E S O F O S M A L A R E B I P A R T I T U M 1 8 9 6. Skull no. 1717, Site of find; Szeged-Fehértó "A" burial-ground, grave no. 61, Avar Period. A female of mature age. Ossified transverse suture on the right side (Fig. 2, 6), and os epiptericum on the right side. From a taxonomic viewpoint the find can not be evaluated ( L I P T Á K and VÁMOS, 1969), but it can be stated that it is of a Europid character. 7. Skull no. 1804. Site of find: Szeged-Fehér tó "A" burial-ground, grave no, 2! 4, Avar Period. A female of mature age. Bilateral os malare bipartitum (Fig. 3. I—2), with Worm-type bones in the lambdoid suture. The find primarily exhibist the features of the group of characteristics of the Pamirian race (LIPTÁK and VÁMOS, 1969). 8. Skull no. 864. Site of find: Szeged- -Kundonib, grave no. 234, Avar Period. A female of adult age. Os malare bipartitum on the right side (Fig. 3, 3), with Worm-type bones in the lambdoid suture, and bilateral os epiptericum. From a taxonomic viewpoint the find primarily reveals Ihe features of the Cromagnoid-B race ( L I P T Á K and M A R C S I K , 1 9 6 6 ) . 9. Skull no, 861. Site of find: Zenta—Farkas farm (Yugoslavia), grave no. 2, Arpadian age. The find is in the Vojvodanski Muzej, Novi Sad. A female of juvenile age. Os malare bipartitum on the left side (Fig. 3, 4), with Worm-type bones in the lambdoid suture. The find exhibits the characteristics of the Nordic race ( B A R T U C Z and F A R K A S , 1 9 5 8 ) . 10. Skull no. N75. Site of find: Kiszombor, grave no. 60/11, Gepid, The skull of a child of about six years ( B A R T U C Z , 1 9 3 6 ) , on which bilateral os malare bipartitum (Fig. 3 , 5 — 6 ) can be observed. The right suturai bone is missing, but its position can be established unambiguously. As a result of the fragmentation of the find, the presence or absence of other anomalies can not be established. Discussion From among I860 skulls in palaeoanthropological material randing in date from the Middle European Copper Age to the 17th century A.D., os malare bi-partitum was observed in 10 cases (0.54%). It is striking that it occurred only in material from the Migration Period (1st millenium A.D.) and the Hungarian Middle Age. Its frequency appears very small compared to the literature data, and sup-ports the observation that this is a rate anomaly. The distribution of the ten cases with regard to sex and the side of the skull is as follows: Side Male Female Child Tola! Right _ 2 — 2 Left 2 1 — 3 Right and left 3 1 1 5 Total 5 4 1 10 In these ten cases the anomaly occurs more often in males and on both sides together, than in females and on only one side of the skull. In 8 of the 10 cases some other anomaly too was present, which indicates the connection of this phenomenon with other variations. At any event, this appears to confirm that it may be related to the disturbance of the ossification centres. It is obvious from the distribution according to sex and age that this is a con-genita) anomaly, which remains throughout the extrauterine life, while the oblitera-tion of the suture takes place in a similar way as for other sutures of the skull. The transverse suture is generally finely serrated on the external surface, whereas its course on the inner surface is simple. From a taxonomic viewpoint it is noteworthy that Mongolid or Mongoloid character could be observed in 3 of the 8 évaluable finds. Since the number of finds 190 GY, F A R K A S possessing Mongolid or Mongoloid features among the I860 skulls examined is relatively small, this suggests that the occurrence of os ma I are bipartitum is more frequent among the races of a Mongolid character than among the Europeans. Since the observations do not differ essentially from the literature data, this anomaly can be regarded as being characteristic of the entire human race, but at the same lime it is a very rare phenomenon. References BARTUCZ, L . ( 1 9 3 6 ) : A kiszombori temető gepida koponyái. (Die Gepiden-Schädel des Gräber-feldes von Kiszombor. — Abstract in German.) — Dolgozatok 12, 178—204, BARTUCZ, L. (1960): Die anthropologischen Merkmale der Bevölkerung aus der Umgebung von Zorn bor (Sombor) im XV—XVII. Jahrhunderl. — Ann. Univ. Scient. Budapest inen sis Sect. Biol. 3, 23 -48 . BARTUCZ, I . , — F A R K A S , G Y . ( 1 9 5 7 ) : Zwei Adorjaner Gräberfeld der Awarenzeit aus anthropologi-schem Gesichtspunkte betrachtet. — Acta Biol, Szeged. 3, 315—347, BARTUCZ, ! . . — F A R K A S , G Y , ( 1 9 5 8 ) : Die Bevölkerung von „Csészló" in der Arpadenzeit aus anthro-pologischem Gesichtspunkte betrachtet. — Acta Biol. Szeged. 4, 245—283. BROTHWELL, D . R . ( 1 9 5 9 ) : The use of non-metrical characters of the skull in differentiating popula-tions. In: Bericht über die 6. Tagung der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Anlhropologie in Kiel 3 0 . 7 . bis 2. 8. 1958, Hrg.: SCHAEUBLE, J. und SCHAEFER, U . — Homo Suppl. 1 0 3 — 1 0 9 . BROTHWELL, D. R. (1963): Digging up bones. British Museum of Natural History. London. CALORI , L . ( 1 8 9 3 ) : Su le anomalie deM'osso zigomatico ed in specie su due varietä di zigont. bi-part. — Mem. della R. Accad. delle scien/e dell' Instiluto di Bologna 5, 415. ELLIOT-SMITH, G , — W O O D - J O N E S , F . ( 1 9 1 0 ) : Report on the human remains. — Archaeological survey of Nubia. Report of 1907—1908 IT. 375. FEHÉR, M . ( 1 9 3 7 ) : A/, ember járomcsontjának varrat-rendellenességei. (Suturai abnormalities of human cheek bone.) — Ph. D. thesis, Budapest. GRUBER, W. (1873a): Morphologie über das zweigeteilte Jochbein. Wien. GRUBER, W. (1873b): Über supernumeräre Knochen im Jochbogen. — Reichart-Du Bois Rey-mond's Arch. f. Anal., Phys. und wiss, Med. 337. LIPTÁK, P, (1969): Embertan es emberszármazástan. (Anthropology and palaeoanthropology.) — Tankönyvkiadó, Budapest. L I P T Á K , P . — F A R K A S , G Y . ( 1 9 6 2 ) : Anthropological analysis of the Arpadian age population of Orosháza-Rákóczitefep. — Acta Biol. Szeged. 8, 221—236, L I P T Á K , P.—M ARCSJK, A. (1966): Szeged- Kumlomb avarkori népességének embertani vizsgálata. (Die anthropologische Untersuchung des Gräberfeldes Szeged—Kundomb aus der Awaren-periode. — Abstract in German.) — Anlhrop. Közl. 10, 13—56, L I P T Á K , P . — V Á M O S , K. ( 1 9 6 9 ) : A ,,Fehértó-A" megnevezésű avarkori temető csont vázanyagának embertani vizsgálata. (Anthropologische Untersuchung des Skclettmaierials des awarenzeit-lichen Gräberfeldes von ,,Fehértó-A'\ — Abstract in German.) • Anthrop. Közl. 13, 3—30. MARTIN, R . - S A L L E R . K . ( 1 9 5 9 ) : Lehrbuch der Anthropologie. Bd. 2. Stuttgart. 1 4 1 8 — 1 4 2 1 . M ATIEG KA. H. (1899): Über das „Os malare bipartitum". — Anat. Anz. 16, 546—557. RANKE, J. (1881): Wissenschaftlicher Jahres-Bericht des Generalsekretärs; V. Ethnographie und somatische Rassenlehre. — Corresp. d. Dtsch, Ges. f. Anthr. Fthn. u. Urgesch, 86. SPIX, L. (1815): Cephalogenesis seu capitis ossei struetura. formatio et significatio. Monachi. !7, TOLDI, C. (1902): Die Japanerschädct des Münchener anthropologischen Institutes. — Archiv f. Anthrop. 28, 144—183. Address of the author; D r . G Y . F A R K A S Department of Anthropology, A. J. University, H—6701 Szeged. P. O. Box 428, Hungary 

Observed cases of os malare bipartitum in Hungarian palaeoanthropological finds

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Observed cases of os malare bipartitum in Hungarian palaeoanthropological finds

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