Ancient Human Bone Microstructure in MedievalEngland: Comparisons between Two Socio‐Economic Groups

Abstract

Understanding the links between bone microstructure and human lifestyle is critical for clinical and anthropological research into skeletal growth and adaptation. The present study is the first to report correspondence between socio-economic status and variation in bone microstructure in ancient humans. Products of femoral cortical remodeling were assessed using histological methods in a large human medieval sample (N 5 450) which represented two distinct socio-economic groups. Osteonal parameters were recorded in posterior midshaft femoral sections from adult males (N 5 233) and females (N 5 217). Using univariate and multivariate statistics, intact, fragmentary, and osteon population densities, Haversian canal area and diameter, and osteon area were compared between the two groups, accounting for sex, age, and estimated femoral robusticity. The size of osteons and their Haversian canals, as well as osteon density, varied significantly between the socio-economic groups, although minor inconsistencies were observed in females. Variation in microstructure was consistent with historical textual evidence that describes differences in mechanical loading and nutrition between the two groups. Results demonstrate that aspects of ancient human lifestyle can be inferred from bone microstructure. Anat Rec, 299:42-59, 2016. V C 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The biorhythm of human skeletal growth

“…There is substantial inter‐individual variation in Ot.Dn values from this region (younger adults range between 394.87 and 1307.69; middle aged adults between 305.77 and 1255.13). Some of this variation in Ot.Dn probably reflects differences in femoral mechanical loading between individuals, as some adults in our sample would have been employed in the physically demanding occupations that were typical of lower socio‐economic lifestyles in medieval Canterbury (Miszkiewicz & Mahoney, ).…”

“…Femoral length data were previously included in robusticity index calculations as part of another project (Miszkiewicz & Mahoney, ), but correlations between Ot.Dn and stature/femur length are examined here for the first time. The maximum length of each femur was measured by placing it flat on an osteometric board, in its anatomical position, with the posterior femoral aspect facing down.…”

Microscopic markers of an infradian biorhythm in human juvenile ribs

“…On.Ar and On.Dm [40][41][42][43] because they can provide an indication of the type of loading on a bone [44][45][46]. Experimental studies have revealed that osteon size, on average, is inversely related to biomechanical strain [47][48][49].…”

“…compound microscope with an Olympus DP25 microscope camera [41,67]. For each rib thinsection the entire cortex was imaged at 20x magnification with a 10x objective and stitched together into a montage using CELL® Live Biology Imaging software (figure 2a).…”

Cortical Histomorphometry of the Human Humerus During Ontogeny

“…All sampling followed appropriate codes of ethics for research conducted on human skeletons [29]. These skeletons have previously been incorporated into a study that examined histomorphometric variables in adult femoral cortical bone [30].…”