ABSTRACT The isotopic dietary method has been applied to samples of some 65 Thule Culture individ... more ABSTRACT The isotopic dietary method has been applied to samples of some 65 Thule Culture individuals from existing archaeological collections of Greenlandic human skeletal material. The aim was to use the Greenlandic Thule Culture as a test of the isotopic method, in that we know they were heavily dependent on marine resources, and should thus provide a direct measure of the isotopic values for humans consuming almost entirely marine protein. The sites from which the material was originally obtained encompass almost the entire periphery of Greenland. Isotopic data from a study of animals of Greenland was used as the basis for analysis. As expected, the results indicate that these people were almost entirely dependent on the marine biosphere for their protein. An exception is those from Northeast Greenland, whose isotopic signatures show evidence for consumption of terrestrial protein as well. Not expected were the observed differences at the regional and local levels
A total of 127 Greenlandic Inuit crania from before the European colonization of Greenland and de... more A total of 127 Greenlandic Inuit crania from before the European colonization of Greenland and deriving from the West (W), Southeast (SE), and Northeast (NE) coast of Greenland were examined for sequelae of infectious middle ear disease (IMED) and for a relationship between the size of the pneumatized cell area in the temporal bones and cranial morphology. IMED was inferred from the area size of the pneumatized cell system as seen on x-rays. The crania were classified into IMED or non-IMED by applying a statistical model on the distribution of areas. The model designated six crania (4.7%, 95% CI: 1.8-10.0%) as having had IMED, four from the W, one from the SE, and one from the NE. This is lower than the present frequency of IMED in Greenland. One cranium revealed pathology resembling that caused by chronic inflammation (e.g., from cholesteatoma or cancer). The area sizes differed significantly between sexes and between regions, as did some of the cranial measures. This indicated a relationship between cranial morphology and the area size. However, in a multiple regression analysis, cranial morphology only explained 5 to 7% (R2) of the variability in the areas.
ABSTRACT Mummies are human remains with preservation of non-bony tissue. Mummification by natural... more ABSTRACT Mummies are human remains with preservation of non-bony tissue. Mummification by natural influences results in so-called natural mummies, while mummification induced by active (human) intervention results in so-called artificial mummies, although many cultures practiced burial rites which to some degree involved both natural and artificial mummification. Since they are so uniquely well-preserved, mummies may give many insights into mortuary practices and burial rites. Specifically, the presence of soft tissues may expand the scope of paleopathological studies. Many recent mummy studies have focused on the development and application of non-destructive methods for examining mummies, especially radiography and CT scanning with advanced 3D visualizations. Indeed, the development of commercially available CT scanners in the 1970s meant that for the first time the 3D internal structure of mummies and bog bodies could be studied non-destructively. This article describes the history of mummy radiography and CT scanning, and some of the problems and opportunities involved in applying these techniques, derived for clinical use, on naturally and artificially preserved ancient human bodies. Unless severely degraded, bone is quite readily visualized, but accurate imaging of preserved soft tissues, and pathological lesions therein, may require considerable post-image capture processing of CT data.
This study examines the occurrence and distribution of transverse lines in skeletal remains from ... more This study examines the occurrence and distribution of transverse lines in skeletal remains from the Copenhagen site, a plague cemetery dated 1711 AD. A relatively low frequency for evidence of line formation was observed in the individuals comprising the total sample and no transverse lines were present in the subadult category. This paper addresses the pattern of transverse line occurrence and cohort-specific distribution in a plague sample in light of the multiple factors influencing line formation and resorption and discusses the significance of transverse lines as measures of non-specific acute stress in archaeologically derived populations.
From the clinical forensic examination reports made at the Department of Forensic Medicine, the U... more From the clinical forensic examination reports made at the Department of Forensic Medicine, the University of Copenhagen, in 2007 concerning rape, attempted rape and sexual assault (RAS), information about the assault, including both violence and the perpetrator's line of sexual action was extracted, analysed and compared to the observed lesions (LE). A total of 184 girls and women were included in this retrospective study. 75.5% of the victims were under 30 years of age. Observed LE: 79% had observed LE. 41% had body LE only, 19% genito-anal LE only, and 40% had both body and genito-anal LE. Half of the victims, who reported no exposure to violence, had body LE. Five victims also had LE of a self-inflicted character. Genito-anal LE: 47% had genito-anal LE, 64% of whom had one or two, commonest a tear. Body LE: 64% had body LE. 57% was caused by slight, blunt force. Information on line of sexual action was present in 148 cases. A total of 123 victims reported penetration: 94% vaginal, 16% anal and 20% oral. Three were exposed to anal penetration only. Eleven perpetrators used a condom. 50% of the cases with vaginal and/or anal penetration had genito-anal LE. Victims with both vaginal and anal penetration and victims who reported more than one perpetrator did not show more genito-anal LE. Anal penetration or attempted anal penetration has increased to 21% of cases. Young victims are exposed to RAS. Half of them have genito-anal LE, typically one. Anal penetration or attempted anal penetration is increasing. This will often cause genito-anal LE. This finding stresses the importance that these examinations take place where both forensic and health-care expertise are offered. not relevant. not relevant.
In this study, 13C and 15N of bone samples from 83 skeletons (79 humans, 2 horses, and 2 dogs) ex... more In this study, 13C and 15N of bone samples from 83 skeletons (79 humans, 2 horses, and 2 dogs) excavated from pagan and early Christian graves from 21 localities in Iceland are used to reconstruct diet of the early settlers in Iceland and possible differences in diet depending on the distance between the excavation site and the seashore. We have radiocarbon dated 47 of these skeletons and used the carbon isotopic composition (?13C) to estimate and correct for the marine reservoir effect (the 14C difference between terrestrial and mixed marine organisms). The reservoir-corrected ages lie in the range of AD 780?1270 (68.2% probability). Reservoir age corrections were checked by comparing 14C dates of a horse (terrestrial diet), a dog (highly marine diet), and a human (mixed diet) from the same burial. The range in measured marine protein percentage in individual diet is from about 10% up to 55%, mostly depending on the geographical position (distance from the sea) of the excavation site. We had access to the skeleton (AAR-5908) of the Sk?lholt bishop P?ll J?nsson whose remains are enshrined at the Episcopal residence in Sk?lholt, southern Iceland. According to written sources, the bishop died in AD 1211. Using our dietary reconstruction, his bones were about 17% marine, which is within the range of human skeletons from the same area, and the reservoir-corrected calibrated 14C age of the skeleton is in accord with the historical date.
... Lynnerup, N., 1995, The Greenland Norse: A bi-ological anthropology study [Ph.D. thesis ... M... more ... Lynnerup, N., 1995, The Greenland Norse: A bi-ological anthropology study [Ph.D. thesis ... McGovern, TH, 1991, Climate, correlation, and causation in Norse Greenland: Arctic An-thropology, v ... error, and environmental degradation: A view of social and ecological change in ...
Additional morphological evidence of former infectious middle ear disease (IMED) was found by CT-... more Additional morphological evidence of former infectious middle ear disease (IMED) was found by CT-scanning in 5 of 6 Greenlandic Inuit crania strongly suspected for former IMED due to earlier examination revealing either bilateral hypocellularity or asymmetry of the pneumatized area of the temporal bones. The CT-scans showed sclerosing and obliteration of the air cells and even destruction of the cellular septae, and a high degree of irregularity of the cells. Sclerosing of the surrounding bone tissue was also found. The findings in one cranium were dubious and could both be regarded as a congenital malformation or an infection in infanthood. CT-scan confirms and even adds to the results of conventional X-ray of temporal bones making hypotheses of paleopathology more reliable. The findings also support the environmental theory of pneumatization of the air cell system in the temporal bones.
The Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen, perform clinical forensic examinations of sexual... more The Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen, perform clinical forensic examinations of sexually assaulted victims at the request of the police. Three cases with male victims are presented and the forensic focus in these cases is discussed. It is important to report lesions and to secure saliva and semen for DNA analysis correctly to form an important part of the subsequent police investigation and ultimately the legal proceeding. We believe that rape of men is underreported, and that more information can help men initially with reporting to the police and help focusing on the right prophylaxis for this group.
ABSTRACT In this concluding paper of the JONA special volume on the Norse Greenland isotope study... more ABSTRACT In this concluding paper of the JONA special volume on the Norse Greenland isotope study, we summarize the archaeological interpretations of the previous, technical papers. The study supports the conclusions and widens the results of our earlier limited study, i.e., that the diet of the Norse Greenlanders became more dependent on marine resources over time. The isotope data provide information at the level of the individual, and the study indicates that the Norse Greenlanders had an isotopically varied diet; there is no evidence that these differences were linked to sex or age. The shift in diet seems to have happened gradually, perhaps beginning during the initial settlement. The swiftness of the change, however, depended on where the immigrants settled; settlers in the southern part of the Eastern Settlement and in the Western Settlement may have adapted to the marine resources more rapidly than those in the central Eastern Settlement region. Social differences may partly explain the isotopically varied diet within Norse society; this explanation is, however, not without its reservations. Despite the changes in the dietary economy, and the increasing dependence on the marine resources, farming strategies remained unchanged. Climate change and unsustainable land-use practices have been proposed as two of the main reasons for the depopulation of the Norse Greenland settlements in the late 1400s, and it is obvious to draw attention to these factors when trying to explain the changes in the dietary economy. It is, however, more doubtful whether the environmental changes were, after all, the sole cause of the depopulation of the Norse Greenland settlement. The Norse Greenlanders apparently adapted well to their physical environment, and they could survive on the marine resources in as far as they were available
ABSTRACT The isotopic dietary method has been applied to samples of some 65 Thule Culture individ... more ABSTRACT The isotopic dietary method has been applied to samples of some 65 Thule Culture individuals from existing archaeological collections of Greenlandic human skeletal material. The aim was to use the Greenlandic Thule Culture as a test of the isotopic method, in that we know they were heavily dependent on marine resources, and should thus provide a direct measure of the isotopic values for humans consuming almost entirely marine protein. The sites from which the material was originally obtained encompass almost the entire periphery of Greenland. Isotopic data from a study of animals of Greenland was used as the basis for analysis. As expected, the results indicate that these people were almost entirely dependent on the marine biosphere for their protein. An exception is those from Northeast Greenland, whose isotopic signatures show evidence for consumption of terrestrial protein as well. Not expected were the observed differences at the regional and local levels
A total of 127 Greenlandic Inuit crania from before the European colonization of Greenland and de... more A total of 127 Greenlandic Inuit crania from before the European colonization of Greenland and deriving from the West (W), Southeast (SE), and Northeast (NE) coast of Greenland were examined for sequelae of infectious middle ear disease (IMED) and for a relationship between the size of the pneumatized cell area in the temporal bones and cranial morphology. IMED was inferred from the area size of the pneumatized cell system as seen on x-rays. The crania were classified into IMED or non-IMED by applying a statistical model on the distribution of areas. The model designated six crania (4.7%, 95% CI: 1.8-10.0%) as having had IMED, four from the W, one from the SE, and one from the NE. This is lower than the present frequency of IMED in Greenland. One cranium revealed pathology resembling that caused by chronic inflammation (e.g., from cholesteatoma or cancer). The area sizes differed significantly between sexes and between regions, as did some of the cranial measures. This indicated a relationship between cranial morphology and the area size. However, in a multiple regression analysis, cranial morphology only explained 5 to 7% (R2) of the variability in the areas.
ABSTRACT Mummies are human remains with preservation of non-bony tissue. Mummification by natural... more ABSTRACT Mummies are human remains with preservation of non-bony tissue. Mummification by natural influences results in so-called natural mummies, while mummification induced by active (human) intervention results in so-called artificial mummies, although many cultures practiced burial rites which to some degree involved both natural and artificial mummification. Since they are so uniquely well-preserved, mummies may give many insights into mortuary practices and burial rites. Specifically, the presence of soft tissues may expand the scope of paleopathological studies. Many recent mummy studies have focused on the development and application of non-destructive methods for examining mummies, especially radiography and CT scanning with advanced 3D visualizations. Indeed, the development of commercially available CT scanners in the 1970s meant that for the first time the 3D internal structure of mummies and bog bodies could be studied non-destructively. This article describes the history of mummy radiography and CT scanning, and some of the problems and opportunities involved in applying these techniques, derived for clinical use, on naturally and artificially preserved ancient human bodies. Unless severely degraded, bone is quite readily visualized, but accurate imaging of preserved soft tissues, and pathological lesions therein, may require considerable post-image capture processing of CT data.
This study examines the occurrence and distribution of transverse lines in skeletal remains from ... more This study examines the occurrence and distribution of transverse lines in skeletal remains from the Copenhagen site, a plague cemetery dated 1711 AD. A relatively low frequency for evidence of line formation was observed in the individuals comprising the total sample and no transverse lines were present in the subadult category. This paper addresses the pattern of transverse line occurrence and cohort-specific distribution in a plague sample in light of the multiple factors influencing line formation and resorption and discusses the significance of transverse lines as measures of non-specific acute stress in archaeologically derived populations.
From the clinical forensic examination reports made at the Department of Forensic Medicine, the U... more From the clinical forensic examination reports made at the Department of Forensic Medicine, the University of Copenhagen, in 2007 concerning rape, attempted rape and sexual assault (RAS), information about the assault, including both violence and the perpetrator's line of sexual action was extracted, analysed and compared to the observed lesions (LE). A total of 184 girls and women were included in this retrospective study. 75.5% of the victims were under 30 years of age. Observed LE: 79% had observed LE. 41% had body LE only, 19% genito-anal LE only, and 40% had both body and genito-anal LE. Half of the victims, who reported no exposure to violence, had body LE. Five victims also had LE of a self-inflicted character. Genito-anal LE: 47% had genito-anal LE, 64% of whom had one or two, commonest a tear. Body LE: 64% had body LE. 57% was caused by slight, blunt force. Information on line of sexual action was present in 148 cases. A total of 123 victims reported penetration: 94% vaginal, 16% anal and 20% oral. Three were exposed to anal penetration only. Eleven perpetrators used a condom. 50% of the cases with vaginal and/or anal penetration had genito-anal LE. Victims with both vaginal and anal penetration and victims who reported more than one perpetrator did not show more genito-anal LE. Anal penetration or attempted anal penetration has increased to 21% of cases. Young victims are exposed to RAS. Half of them have genito-anal LE, typically one. Anal penetration or attempted anal penetration is increasing. This will often cause genito-anal LE. This finding stresses the importance that these examinations take place where both forensic and health-care expertise are offered. not relevant. not relevant.
In this study, 13C and 15N of bone samples from 83 skeletons (79 humans, 2 horses, and 2 dogs) ex... more In this study, 13C and 15N of bone samples from 83 skeletons (79 humans, 2 horses, and 2 dogs) excavated from pagan and early Christian graves from 21 localities in Iceland are used to reconstruct diet of the early settlers in Iceland and possible differences in diet depending on the distance between the excavation site and the seashore. We have radiocarbon dated 47 of these skeletons and used the carbon isotopic composition (?13C) to estimate and correct for the marine reservoir effect (the 14C difference between terrestrial and mixed marine organisms). The reservoir-corrected ages lie in the range of AD 780?1270 (68.2% probability). Reservoir age corrections were checked by comparing 14C dates of a horse (terrestrial diet), a dog (highly marine diet), and a human (mixed diet) from the same burial. The range in measured marine protein percentage in individual diet is from about 10% up to 55%, mostly depending on the geographical position (distance from the sea) of the excavation site. We had access to the skeleton (AAR-5908) of the Sk?lholt bishop P?ll J?nsson whose remains are enshrined at the Episcopal residence in Sk?lholt, southern Iceland. According to written sources, the bishop died in AD 1211. Using our dietary reconstruction, his bones were about 17% marine, which is within the range of human skeletons from the same area, and the reservoir-corrected calibrated 14C age of the skeleton is in accord with the historical date.
... Lynnerup, N., 1995, The Greenland Norse: A bi-ological anthropology study [Ph.D. thesis ... M... more ... Lynnerup, N., 1995, The Greenland Norse: A bi-ological anthropology study [Ph.D. thesis ... McGovern, TH, 1991, Climate, correlation, and causation in Norse Greenland: Arctic An-thropology, v ... error, and environmental degradation: A view of social and ecological change in ...
Additional morphological evidence of former infectious middle ear disease (IMED) was found by CT-... more Additional morphological evidence of former infectious middle ear disease (IMED) was found by CT-scanning in 5 of 6 Greenlandic Inuit crania strongly suspected for former IMED due to earlier examination revealing either bilateral hypocellularity or asymmetry of the pneumatized area of the temporal bones. The CT-scans showed sclerosing and obliteration of the air cells and even destruction of the cellular septae, and a high degree of irregularity of the cells. Sclerosing of the surrounding bone tissue was also found. The findings in one cranium were dubious and could both be regarded as a congenital malformation or an infection in infanthood. CT-scan confirms and even adds to the results of conventional X-ray of temporal bones making hypotheses of paleopathology more reliable. The findings also support the environmental theory of pneumatization of the air cell system in the temporal bones.
The Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen, perform clinical forensic examinations of sexual... more The Department of Forensic Medicine, Copenhagen, perform clinical forensic examinations of sexually assaulted victims at the request of the police. Three cases with male victims are presented and the forensic focus in these cases is discussed. It is important to report lesions and to secure saliva and semen for DNA analysis correctly to form an important part of the subsequent police investigation and ultimately the legal proceeding. We believe that rape of men is underreported, and that more information can help men initially with reporting to the police and help focusing on the right prophylaxis for this group.
ABSTRACT In this concluding paper of the JONA special volume on the Norse Greenland isotope study... more ABSTRACT In this concluding paper of the JONA special volume on the Norse Greenland isotope study, we summarize the archaeological interpretations of the previous, technical papers. The study supports the conclusions and widens the results of our earlier limited study, i.e., that the diet of the Norse Greenlanders became more dependent on marine resources over time. The isotope data provide information at the level of the individual, and the study indicates that the Norse Greenlanders had an isotopically varied diet; there is no evidence that these differences were linked to sex or age. The shift in diet seems to have happened gradually, perhaps beginning during the initial settlement. The swiftness of the change, however, depended on where the immigrants settled; settlers in the southern part of the Eastern Settlement and in the Western Settlement may have adapted to the marine resources more rapidly than those in the central Eastern Settlement region. Social differences may partly explain the isotopically varied diet within Norse society; this explanation is, however, not without its reservations. Despite the changes in the dietary economy, and the increasing dependence on the marine resources, farming strategies remained unchanged. Climate change and unsustainable land-use practices have been proposed as two of the main reasons for the depopulation of the Norse Greenland settlements in the late 1400s, and it is obvious to draw attention to these factors when trying to explain the changes in the dietary economy. It is, however, more doubtful whether the environmental changes were, after all, the sole cause of the depopulation of the Norse Greenland settlement. The Norse Greenlanders apparently adapted well to their physical environment, and they could survive on the marine resources in as far as they were available
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