A possible case of dystocia due to foetal macrosomia at Shuanghuaishu site (3500–2900 BCE), Henan, China

Zhou, Yue; Ai, Zhang; Garvie‐Lok, Sandra; Gu, W; Xin, Yingjun

doi:10.1002/oa.2904

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Combined with archeological context, other excavated remains, and mortuary practices, such age‐at‐death estimations, provide information about the stage of individual infant growth and how people in ancient societies defined when a newborn became an infant. Although gender and maternal factors influence the size of infant bones (Hauspie et al, 1996), it remains the most prevalent method for estimating infant age (Booth et al, 2016; Booth & Madgwick, 2016; Cruz & Codinha, 2009; Piga et al, 2015; Zhou, Zhang, Garvie‐Lok, Gu, & Wang, 2020; Zhou, Zhang, Garvie‐Lok, Gu, & Xin, 2020).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem treatment of preterm infants at the Gangshang site during the Late Neolithic period, Shandong Province, China

Yang

Zhang

Zhu

et al. 2023

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Jar burial is a particular burial practice generally used in the Neolithic period of China.However, the rarity of finding prenatal individuals limits the ability to study their treatment in jar burial contexts. In this paper, to study the postmortem treatment of this specific age further, we focus on three jar burials of infant individuals excavated in 2021 at the Gangshang site in China, where the skeletal remains were relatively well preserved. The skeletal remains of three well-preserved individuals are presented into inverted ceramic tripods near the residential area and with a crouched posture. In terms of this condition, we apply the osteometric method to estimate the range and mean of age at death for each individual investigated. Meanwhile, we use micro-computed tomography (CT) scans to help judge the degree of microbial bioerosion. Besides, histological analysis on skeletal remains combined with the Oxford Histological Index (OHI) assessment allows us to estimate the developmental stage at the time of death by analyzing the results of micro-CT scans. By using osteometric methods, the results show that the gestational age of the three individuals is 22-26, 24-28, and 22-26 weeks, respectively. The results of the micro-CT scans indicate that all three fetuses died shortly after birth, or had died in their mother's uterus before birth, with the OHI score of 5. Moreover, we indeed observe infant skeleton remains with no bacterial bioerosion, indicating that it is effective using this method to judge the developmental stage at the time of death with a specific taphonomic environment in the Gangshang site of the Dawenkou culture period. Combined with the placement of the jars in which the three infants were buried, it is believed that this unique placement method was intentional and specific to the infant deaths.These results are instructive for exploring the postmortem treatment of dead infants by ancient residents of the Dawenkou culture period (4200 BC-2600 BC) in Shandong Province, China, and the significance and possible causes of the unique burial type.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem treatment of preterm infants at the Gangshang site during the Late Neolithic period, Shandong Province, China

Yang

Zhang

Zhu

et al. 2023

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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“…Several cases of perinatal death have been reported worldwide over the past few decades (Piga et al, 2016; Willis & Oxenham, 2013). Research on suspected obstetric deaths in the prehistoric period in the Yellow River basin of China has also been conducted (Zhou, Zhang, Garvie‐Lok, Gu, & Wang, 2020; Zhou, Zhang, Garvie‐Lok, Gu, & Xin, 2020). However, relatively few cases from the ancient period have been reported, especially from the Eastern region of the Western Zhou Dynasty due to a lack of recorded cases in this region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Case study of a special burial resulting from obstetric death at the Sanbulijia site, Shandong Province, China

Guo

Qi²,

Feng

et al. 2023

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Many young women were believed to die due to pregnancy and childbirth in the past, yet few cases of pregnant female burials have been reported in bioarcheological literature. Therefore, this paper reports the burial of an adult female (H49-1) and her infant (H49-2), who were buried together in an early Western Zhou pit at the Sanbulijia site, Jiaodong Peninsula, Shandong Province, China. It is the first reported case of obstetric death in thePre-Qin Period in Shandong Province. The mother-child relationship was proved by ancient DNA evidence and archeological context. The infant's remains were placed between the adult's lower legs. Skeletal histological evidence suggests that the infant died during or shortly after childbirth. Sacroiliac fusion of individual H49-1 may have resulted in dystocia. Furthermore, a special postmortem burial ritual-pit burial, was carried out for both the infant and the mother. H49 is the first Zhou Dynasty pit burial (multiple burial) with an exact radiocarbon date in the Shandong Peninsula. The case under review suggests that both the adult and the infant may have died due to special events, which may be related to obstetric death.

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A possible case of dystocia due to foetal macrosomia at Shuanghuaishu site (3500–2900 BCE), Henan, China

Cited by 2 publications

References 63 publications

Postmortem treatment of preterm infants at the Gangshang site during the Late Neolithic period, Shandong Province, China

Postmortem treatment of preterm infants at the Gangshang site during the Late Neolithic period, Shandong Province, China

Case study of a special burial resulting from obstetric death at the Sanbulijia site, Shandong Province, China

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