A sacral anomaly from the Quaker Cemetery, Kingston‐upon‐Thames, England

Abstract

A rare defect of the sacrum was observed in the skeleton of an adult female from the Quaker Cemetery (1663-1814 CE) in Kingston-upon-Thames, England. This is an isolated finding in the skeletal collection and no other elements in this individual were similarly affected. After eliminating post-depositional damage and skeletal asymmetry, a differential diagnosis resulted in the consideration of two conditions: hemivertebra and sacral agenesis, both of which are rare developmental defects that originate during foetal growth. Although the defect is interesting from an embryological, genetic and palaeopathological perspective, it would have resulted in few clinical symptoms for the individual. This case adds to the limited knowledge of the morphological variability of the sacrum, and will aid in future diagnoses of these rare pathological conditions.

A case of marked bilateral asymmetry in the sacral alae of the Neandertal specimen Regourdou 1 (Périgord, France)

“…Given the degree of sacral asymmetry in R1 and no evidence of a direct injury on the sacrum, this morphology most likely originated earlier in development (for similar cases see Pfeiffer, ; Pitre & Lovell, ). Regarding the fact that the period of origin of such a pronounced sacral asymmetry extends from the intrauterine to early postnatal period or even early childhood, two possible explanations can be proposed: a developmental abnormality or an indirect post‐traumatic consequence.…”

Pelvic stress injuries in a small‐bodied forager

“…Asymmetry would have been a precondition for the joint instability that led to pathological remodelling. A recent report of an isolated sacrum that shows very similar features explored two possible developmental conditions, both originating during foetal growth: hemivertebra and sacral agenesis (Pitre & Lovell, 2009). The condition observed in the much more complete skeleton of NMB 1639 can be characterised as sacral hemiagenesis.…”