Cribra orbitalia as a potential indicator of childhood stress: Evidence from paleopathology, stable C, N, and O isotopes, and trace element concentrations in children from a 17th-18thcentury cemetery in Jēkabpils, Latvia.
Cribra orbitalia (CO), or porotic hyperostosis (PH) of the orbital roof, is one of the most common pathological conditions found in archaeological subadult skeletal remains. Reaching frequencies higher than 50% in many prehistoric samples, CO has been generally attributed to a variety of factors including malnutrition (e.g., megaloblastic anemia) and parasitism. In this study, we tested the relationship between CO, trace element concentrations, and stable isotope values (δ13C, δ15N, δ18O) in subadult skeletons from a 17thto 18thcentury cemetery in the historic town of Jēkabpils, Latvia. A total of 28 subadults were examined, seven of which (25%) showed evidence of CO. Bioarchaeological evidence indicated high mortality for children in this cemetery: half of the burials were subadults under the age of 14, while a third were under the age of four. Life expectancy at birth was estimated to have been only 21.6 years. Trace element concentrations measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) showed no relationship between presence or absence of CO and levels of manganese, zinc, strontium, barium, copper, cadmium, or lead in the bones (p>0.05). However, a significant correlation (p<0.05) was found between the presence of CO and decreased levels of iron. The correlations between CO and decreased levels of copper and lead approached significance (p=0.056 for both elements). Individuals with CO furthermore displayed significantly lower δ15N isotope values, suggesting greater consumption of lower trophic level food resources than those unaffected by CO; δ13C and δ18O values, in contrast, showed no significant differences. These results suggest that the prevalence of CO may be related to dietary deficiencies. In this case, low iron levels may also signify a diet low in other key vitamins (e.g., B9and B12), which are known to cause megaloblastic anemia.
Institute of the Latvian History at the University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.
Gunita
G
Zariņa
Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA.
Sabrina B
SB
Sholts
Department of Anthropology, California State University, Chico, CA, USA.
Alina
A
Tichinin
Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.
Vita
V
Rudovica
Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia.
Arturs
A
Vīksna
Latvian National Museum of History, Riga, Latvia.
Austra
A
Engīzere
Latvian National Museum of History, Riga, Latvia.
Vitolds
V
Muižnieks
Department of Anthropology, California State University, Chico, CA, USA.
Eric J
EJ
Bartelink
Division of Biophysics, Stockholm University, Sweden; Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, UCLA/Getty Conservation Programme, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States. Electronic address: seb@dbb.su.se.
Sebastian K T S
SK
Wärmländer
D000293:Adolescent; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D055699:Cemeteries; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D006801:Humans; D015576:Hyperostosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D007844:Latvia; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D009915:Orbit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes; D014131:Trace Elements; D002248:Carbon Monoxide
Bioarchaeology; Cribra orbitalia; Epidemiology; Nutrition; Physical anthropology; Trace elements