Survival to amputation in pre-antibiotic era: A case study from a longobard necropolis (6 ^th -8 ^th centuries AD)

TY - JOUR

T1 - Survival to amputation in pre-antibiotic era

T2 - A case study from a longobard necropolis (6 th -8 th centuries AD)

AU - Micarelli, Ileana

AU - Paine, Robert

AU - Giostra, Caterina

AU - Tafuri, Mary Anne

AU - Profico, Antonio

AU - Boggioni, Marco

AU - Di Vincenzo, Fabio

AU - Massani, Danilo

AU - Papini, Andrea

AU - Manzi, Giorgio

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - The Longobard necropolis of Povegliano Veronese dates from the 6 th to the 8 th centuries AD. Among the 164 tombs excavated, the skeleton of an older male shows a well-healed amputated right forearm. The orientation of the forearm fracture suggests an angled cut by a single blow. Reasons why a forearm might be amputated include combat, medical intervention, and judicial punishment. As with other amputation cases reported in literature, this one exhibits both healing and osteoblastic response. We argue that the forelimb stump morphology suggests the use of a prosthesis. Moreover, dental modification of RI 2 shows considerable wear and smoothing of the occlusal surface, which points to dental use in attaching the prosthesis to the limb. Other indications of how this individual adjusted to his amputated condition includes a slight change in the orientation of the right glenoid fossa surface, and thinning of right humeral cortical bone. This is a remarkable example in which an older male survived the loss of a forelimb in pre-antibiotic era. We link archaeological remains found in the tomb (buckle and knife) with the biological evidence to show how a combined bioarchaeological approach can provide a clearer interpretation of the life history of an individual.

AB - The Longobard necropolis of Povegliano Veronese dates from the 6 th to the 8 th centuries AD. Among the 164 tombs excavated, the skeleton of an older male shows a well-healed amputated right forearm. The orientation of the forearm fracture suggests an angled cut by a single blow. Reasons why a forearm might be amputated include combat, medical intervention, and judicial punishment. As with other amputation cases reported in literature, this one exhibits both healing and osteoblastic response. We argue that the forelimb stump morphology suggests the use of a prosthesis. Moreover, dental modification of RI 2 shows considerable wear and smoothing of the occlusal surface, which points to dental use in attaching the prosthesis to the limb. Other indications of how this individual adjusted to his amputated condition includes a slight change in the orientation of the right glenoid fossa surface, and thinning of right humeral cortical bone. This is a remarkable example in which an older male survived the loss of a forelimb in pre-antibiotic era. We link archaeological remains found in the tomb (buckle and knife) with the biological evidence to show how a combined bioarchaeological approach can provide a clearer interpretation of the life history of an individual.

KW - Amputated forearm

KW - Humeral cross-section

KW - Italy

KW - Medieval

KW - Prosthesis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85051653740&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.4436/jass.96001

DO - 10.4436/jass.96001

M3 - Article

C2 - 29717991

AN - SCOPUS:85051653740

SN - 1827-4765

VL - 96

SP - 185

EP - 200

JO - Journal of anthropological sciences

JF - Journal of anthropological sciences

ER -